Just thought about this. I have a cold now and the nasal spray opens up my clogged nose in less than a minute. However, taking stuff for runny nose, sneezing, and heavy mucus doesn’t ever really work. Feels like a scam sometimes to be honest considering all we’re ever told is that cold medicine “suppresses” the symptoms not cures it.
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Depends on what nasal spray you are talking about. Decongestant nasal sparks works but then so would a tablet though less targeted. Decongestants are not good for you if used too frequently though. There is evidence that other types of nasal ( flu guard type) sprays may help reduce cold *duration* by ‘reducing’ the viral load in your nostrils if taken early. As you say other medicines tend to reduce symptoms because they don’t actually attack the virus itself. Out of all the ‘miracle’ cures , I think the evidence is that zinc if taken *in the right way* so that some of it ends up your nose ! can also reduce cold duration. But since colds are such a range of viruses and change quickly we don’t have vaccines and I even if new anti-virals might work they are probably not worth taking for a cold then we are pretty much reduced to keeping healthy so our immune system is working well.
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