I’ve realised nasal spray is more of an illusion of having an unblocked nose but the pressure is still there, but what actually goes on to clear the nose?
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There are several different approaches and formulations with various active ingredient, but most generally it causes the cells of the mucus membranes to squeeze together and tighten up to prevent mucus from leaking out. Aimed primarily towards comfort.
Imagine your nose is like a little tunnel where air goes in and out. Sometimes, this tunnel can get blocked because of tiny things like boogers or swollen blood vessels.
A nasal decongestant is like a superhero spray. When you use it, it tells those swollen blood vessels to shrink, just like when a balloon gets smaller. This makes more space in your nose tunnel for air to flow freely, and that helps you breathe better! So, it’s like a magic spray that helps your nose feel better and not stuffy anymore.
The active ingredient in the spray I think you’re talking about is Oxymetazoline, which causes blood vessels to constrict. This has a huge effect on reducing mucous production, and *some* effect on reducing swelling. For minor, transient cases this can really unblock someone, but past a certain level of inflammation you’ll get the “Illusion of having an unblocked nose,” as you put it. There’s also a lot of downsides, you can experience rebound congestion, and habitual use can lead to long-term rebound upon discontinuation.
Some others have explained oxymetazoline well so I’ll stay away, but for the others, it’s essentially a local allergy medicine, in the way that an ointment can be a local antibiotic. It won’t travel far, but it’ll help enough to get the air moving.
What kind of nasal spray are you asking about? There are different kinds so the answer depends on which kind you’re using. Some are just saline, and others actually have medications in them, and those can be either short-term decongestants or longer-acting steroids.
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