Dependence on vasoconstrictor nasal drops. Drug-induced rhinitis: how to get rid of addiction to nasal drops

People suffering from allergic reactions or susceptible to frequent inflammatory processes in the body with manifestations of rhinitis carefully select remedies to relieve nasal congestion.

One of the main selection criteria is the absence of addiction to the drug. After all, in lately Dependence on nasal drops is a common phenomenon.

When this phenomenon, called medical rhinitis, occurs, the walls of the blood vessels narrow under the influence of the drug, and the mucous membrane dies. As a result, the symptoms of a runny nose intensify. You can get rid of addiction to drops both in a medical facility and on your own at home.

Causes and symptoms of such dependence

At the moment a runny nose occurs, a person begins to intensively drip vasoconstrictor drugs. They act on the blood vessels, causing them to narrow, and also slow down the process of blood flow to the nose. All drugs with this property help relieve congestion and free breathing.

To certain point the means serve their purpose. But sometimes a person notices that the symptoms of the disease are no longer present, but the nose is still stuffy. Therefore, it is not possible to get rid of the use of drops.

There are several reasons why a kind of withdrawal occurs without vasoconstrictor medications:

The occurrence of drug-induced rhinitis is also influenced by taking antihypertensive drugs, products containing hormones, as well as other medications.

Symptoms of the phenomenon

Symptoms of addiction to drops are expressed in the form of the inability of blood vessels to respond to stimuli and control the process of contraction and expansion. At the moment of addiction, a person can no longer cope independently without vasoconstrictor drugs.

Signs of the phenomenon are expressed as:

How to deal with this?

When visiting a medical facility, a person is told what measures to take depending on the degree of influence of the drug.

Doctors note that the easiest way to cure drug-induced rhinitis is to completely abandon the medication. In this case, after 2 weeks, the signs of addiction disappear, and the body returns to its normal functioning.

However, this scheme does not always work. Some patients with long-term dependence on Naphthyzin and others strong drugs, For full recovery procedures have to be performed in inpatient and outpatient settings.

Treatment in a medical facility

After the examination, the doctor can prescribe procedures for the patient to help relieve addiction. Among them there are 3 areas:


In the first case, the dependence is eliminated conservative methods. At this time, a person is advised to take intranasal corticosteroids, which act in the opposite direction compared to vasoconstrictor drugs. The doctor may prescribe the use of Nasonex, Avamys, Flixonase.

Physiotherapy can also help cope with the effects of addiction to the drops. Treatment may include prescribing:

By influencing blood vessels, they help restore their tone and the ability to control the process of expansion and contraction.

If the above procedures do not relieve a person from addiction, then the disease can only be cured with the help of surgical intervention. During the procedure, the ridges of the lower nasal passages are truncated. Due to this, the volume of the nasal passages increases, as well as the breathing process is restored. The operation can be performed using the following method:

  • laser surgery;
  • cryotherapy;
  • conchotomies;
  • turbinoplasty;
  • septoplasty.

Treatment at home

When the first symptoms of addiction occur, a person can try to independently cope with the consequences of using vasoconstrictors.

On initial stage You should immediately stop using nasal drops. If you do not drip them for some time, the condition of the habit may pass. For some people it takes a week, for others it takes a month.

Sometimes these methods don't work. In this case, you can try to adhere to a certain treatment method.


To eliminate the symptoms of drug-induced rhinitis, it is necessary to carry out a daily nasal rinsing procedure. This can be done using regular saline solution. Products with sea ​​water, which not only clean the cavity, but also relieve inflammation.

When treating, you can use recipes for folk remedies.

  1. To prepare homemade drops, aloe is mixed with water (1:2). You need to drip the solution at least 3 times a day, introducing 5 drops of medicine.
  2. It is also possible to use a mixture of honey and water (1:1). You also need to drip the product 3-4 times a day.

Are there any remedies that do not cause such a habit?

Despite the fact that many manufacturers claim the absence of dependence on their drug, there are no drops that do not cause such consequences. If the drug is dripped only when signs of the disease occur, without increasing the duration of use, then the drug will not cause dependence.

However, with continuous use, the result can be disappointing: without exposure to the active substance, the nasal mucosa swells. In this case, repeated administration of drops cannot be avoided.

To eliminate this negative phenomenon, it is necessary to use the product periodically. This means that if a runny nose occurs, you should alternate medicines.

In addition, when choosing a drug, you should pay attention to:


If all the conditions noted in the instructions are met, then there is a high probability of avoiding addiction to the drops. Otherwise, you need to try to get rid of the symptoms yourself by stopping the drug. Then the constantly stuffy nose will be able to breathe. Otherwise, serious treatment may be required.

If you have become addicted to nasal drops, how to get rid of such a scourge? Is it even possible to free yourself from such addiction and breathe freely without constant instillation?

Why does addiction form?

Getting used to nasal drops is a very common phenomenon these days. It even received a special name - drug-induced rhinitis.

Like any addiction, rhinitis medicamentosa occurs from the improper use of medications. A runny nose is a very uncomfortable condition.

Nasal congestion entails:

  • difficulties with colloquial speech;
  • breathing problems;
  • decrease in external attractiveness;
  • slow reaction;
  • headache;
  • lacrimation.

In an effort to get rid of all these troubles as quickly as possible, a person begins to put drops into his nose often and a lot.

As a result, under the influence of drugs, the walls of blood vessels are constantly in a narrowed state. In this case, the nasal mucosa, not receiving proper nutrition with blood, begins to die. This does not make the runny nose disappear; it intensifies, always existing, regardless of the state of health.

Is there a way out of the situation?

The life of a person with medicinal rhinitis turns into sheer agony. The most important thing is to never forget to take drops with you to work, school, a restaurant, a party, etc.


Except persistent runny nose there is a fear of forgetting or losing nasal drops. Thus, physiological dependence turns into psychological.

Such patients complain to their doctors: I’m constantly dripping, but it’s not getting any easier. Relief occurs in no more than an hour, or even less.

A man, driven to despair by many years of dependence on drops, begins to look for a way out.

How to wean yourself off nasal drops? And most importantly, is it even possible to live without a runny nose?

If you are worried about this situation and asking yourself the question “what to do?”, this means that you are starting your path to recovery. This path is similar to quitting any other addiction. It begins with a great desire to live differently, with the mobilization of willpower.

If you really have an addiction to nasal drops, you will, of course, find out from your doctor how to get rid of it. But first of all you will need to go through full examination. This is to ensure that you do not have any serious medical conditions that require you to continually use vasoconstrictor medications.

As a rule, the algorithm for preliminary actions is as follows:

  • visit an otolaryngologist;
  • check the condition of the mucous membrane;
  • go to an allergist;
  • if necessary, start taking antihistamines.


As a rule, before you begin to get rid of addiction, you need to conduct more than just an examination. Usually the doctor prescribes treatment aimed at getting rid of inflammatory processes, localized in the nose, throat, bronchi, ears and even, possibly, in the lungs.

When is self-medication needed?

If you are in a situation called “I’m used to it, I’m dripping,” or rather, I’m dripping because I’m used to it, then you need to get rid of the addiction on your own. It's about, first of all, about willpower, which will become the basis of your healing. To do this you need to act as follows.

Action
Comments
You need to start healing yourself by changing medications for the common cold. If you used only one medicine for a long time, then your body was able to get used to it.
Nowadays they produce a lot of remedies for the common cold. Start purchasing a variety of different ones. As soon as the feeling called “I’m dripping but it doesn’t help” returns, use another one.
The main thing in the fight against addiction is to strictly apply the dosage. Most drugs can be used 2-3 times a day for no longer than 7 days.
Gradually reduce the number of instillations. If you are at home, then avoid the drops altogether. Use the drops only before bed. You can share your usual dose in two doses - morning and evening. Gradually get yourself to use a minimum number of drops - one in each nostril.
Need to get rid of constant desire apply nose drops at the first sign of congestion. Often a person grabs a bottle of drops not because it is really needed, but because he is afraid to experience the feeling of complete nasal congestion.
At night, place the bottle of drops away from the bed. Let laziness to go to another room for drops play its creative role.

Some exercises to relieve congestion

How to cure addiction to drops if all methods of self-restraint are very difficult and do not bring the desired result? Of course, everyone (including doctors) will advise you to be patient. However, advice is easier to give than to follow.

IN folk medicine There are many techniques that will help not only get rid of drug addiction, but also the runny nose itself.

Many folk energy practices have techniques that help the nose breathe easily and freely.

Action
Comments
Any physical exercise, especially on fresh air, help improve breathing through the nose. For example, a walk (or better yet, a jog) in the fresh air may well return the mucous membrane to normal condition. You should especially pay attention to walks in winter. If your physical fitness not in better condition, then the first thing you will feel when you go out into the cold is difficulty breathing, including through the nose. There's probably room in your pockets for nasal drips.

Don't rush to get them. Better take a few sharp breaths through your nose. If you really can’t breathe through your nose, then inhale through your mouth and exhale forcefully through your nose. It may turn out something like blowing your nose. So be it, but after doing this exercise several times, you will probably feel relief.

The teaching about energy centers called chakras states that treatment of diseases of the nose and throat should be carried out by activating the lowest centers. These are the red and orange chakras located at the very bottom of the abdomen. There is one exercise from the arsenal of eastern cultures - the horseman's pose is called. It perfectly opens the lower chakras and cleanses the energy channels well. Place your feet shoulder-width apart, or better yet, wider. Your feet should be placed parallel to your shoulders. Hands should be placed in the chest area, palms pressed against each other. Squat down slowly. Stop the squat by bending your knees at approximately an angle of slightly more than 90 degrees. You need to freeze in this position for an indefinite period of time.

Normally, you need to stand like this for about 10 minutes. However, untrained people can hold out for about three minutes, or even less. A good guide is severe pain and trembling legs. Try to achieve a very large trembling throughout the body. After a few days of such exercises, your nose will forget about swelling and drops. This exercise can be simplified. Just start doing a regular squat. However, before finishing it, freeze, crouching at the same angle of just over 90 degrees.

The rest of the recommendations are the same - hold on as long as possible, waiting for a major tremor.
In a good way opening the lower chakras are all kinds of hip movements. Almost the same way it is done in belly dancing, only without the erotic overtones.

There's another one good complex, which will help not only “open” your nose, but also clear your breathing. Stand straight, place your feet shoulder-width apart, and extend your arms forward, palms down. With a circular movement of your hands, turn your palms up, bend your arms at the elbows, and “pull” them to your chest. Your elbows should go behind your back and your palms should be placed on the sides of your chest. This is done while inhaling. Hold your breath a little and, as you exhale, slowly move your hands forward as if you were pushing away an invisible barrier with your palms. The nose should breathe on its own, but if it doesn’t, then let breathing through the mouth help it. It is advisable to do this exercise at least three times.

After the third time, you need to extend your arms while holding your breath. Having straightened your arms almost completely, begin to describe a circle with tension in your arms. Do this as if you were holding a basketball with force, for example, with movements around its perimeter. Exhalation begins from the moment the circle is described. This exercise is also done at least three times.

Finally, the last element of this complex will be the following exercise. Place your feet at a distance of about 20 centimeters from each other. The arms should be tense and placed along the body. Quickly and forcefully bend your elbows and place your hands, straightened and tense, behind your head at a level just below your ears. The inhalation should be sharp, strong and through the nose. After this, return your arms with great tension to their original position. The exhalation should be as sharp as possible and through the nose. The exhalation should end in initial position. However, the whole body should be as tense as possible, the stomach should be pulled in so that with tension all the air can be expelled from the lungs, bronchi and nose. This exercise is also done at least three times.

How to relieve swelling in the nose without drops and exercises?

As a rule, swelling in the nose is accompanied by swelling throughout the body. Take some herbal diuretics mild action. To relieve swelling throughout the body, birch leaves or buds, dill seeds, lingonberry leaf, chamomile and currant flowers.


If it’s really hard, you can take furosemide, starting with half a tablet.

Locally, you can relieve swelling with baking soda or potatoes. The gauze needs to be soaked saturated solution soda and put it on your nose. You can do the same with potatoes by chopping them raw on a grater.

Wrap the potato pulp in gauze, then put it all on your nose. You need to keep the compresses for at least an hour.

By the way, various alcohol compresses, mixed with soda and sea salt.

Not all are listed here possible ways getting rid of swelling in the nose. This suggests that it is possible to get rid of “drip” addiction, if only you have the desire.

According to data statistical research Vasoconstrictor sprays and nasal drops (adrenergic agonists) are the most popular medications used by patients when they develop rhinitis (runny nose). But nasal drops containing vasoconstrictor substances, in addition to improving the process of nasal breathing, can cause dependence, the so-called medicinal rhinitis. Most often this happens with frequent or misuse drops

How does this work

Chemical medications for the common cold work by constricting the blood vessels in the nasal mucosa. The blood vessels narrow and swelling in the nose goes away. But you must find out the cause of the swelling. If it is not eliminated, the runny nose will not disappear, and the temptation to use dangerous medications for a long time will increase.

It is safe to use vasoconstrictors only for the first five days. Then the addiction begins. If you do not stop using nose drops, drug-induced rhinitis will soon develop: the nasal mucosa will become chronic edema. As a result, the runny nose does not go away, and relief can only be brought by medicine, from which the nose is accustomed to receiving a portion of active chemicals.

The main reason the body gets used to the drops is Not correct treatment a medicinal product. The packaging always says “Read the instructions carefully,” but few people heed this advice. According to many people, rhinitis is a phenomenon that does not require complex treatment Unfortunately, such a statement is a big mistake. If for a long time If your nose can’t breathe, this is a reason to pay attention to your health.

Another reason why addiction occurs is the patient’s frivolity. If a person’s nose is unable to breathe, and the drops do not help for a week, then it is necessary to consult a doctor, but most people continue treatment and eventually get drug addiction. Then panic begins: what to do, how to wean yourself off the habit.

What is the danger of developing dependence on vasoconstrictors?

Too frequent instillation of vasoconstrictors leads to the fact that the capillaries are constantly in a forced spasmodic state. Blood flow cannot normally flow through them; the surrounding tissues receive insufficient oxygen, glucose and other nutrients, and the breakdown products are not excreted on time and remain, poisoning the body.

As a result, the nasal mucosa cannot regenerate, “dries out”, and its hypotrophy begins, which leads to the formation of a drug-induced runny nose. And this pathology requires very long and persistent treatment. So, trying to quickly get rid of cold rhinitis, the patient can get much more serious illness and the need for its comprehensive treatment.

Another danger is the formation of some kind of psychological addiction. Although it is not comparable to a drug, it still requires effort and the desire to get rid of it. Achieving comfortable breathing during a runny nose with the help of vasoconstrictors is fixed in the brain as a reflex.

As soon as congestion appears, a person is no longer able to think about anything other than how to urgently get rid of it. He doesn’t even remember the danger; his hand automatically reaches for the bottle of medicine.

The next dangerous consequence of excessive use of vasoconstrictor drugs is their systemic effect on the body. Overdose is very undesirable in childhood, When loving mothers“heal” their children with nasal drops so that they have to be hospitalized with signs of intoxication and intensively treated.

Of course, this rarely happens; hypotrophy of the mucous membrane and medicinal rhinitis develop more often, but all these cases speak of the flagrant illiteracy of the population, ignorance and lack of understanding of the dangers of vasoconstrictor drugs.

Penetrating into systemic blood flow, vasoconstrictors can act on the vessels of all organs and tissues. As a result, adults and children may experience increased blood pressure, violations heart rate, shortness of breath, sleep disorders, headache.

Symptoms of dependence on vasoconstrictor nasal drops

Long-term treatment makes itself felt, addiction to medicinal drops. The main symptom of addiction is the inability of the vessels in the nasal area to narrow and dilate on their own. If you put drops in, your nose can breathe; without them, the congestion will not go away. Other symptoms of addiction are:

  • Itching in the nose;
  • The sense of smell disappears;
  • Constant nasal congestion;
  • It's hard to breathe through the nose;
  • Transparent selections from the nose.

If such symptoms appear, you should immediately stop using nasal sprays and begin addiction treatment.

Treatment of addiction to nasal drops

After an appointment with an otolaryngologist, the first step to recovery from physical dependence is to completely stop using the drug. This will be hard, so start in the morning.

Drug treatment usually takes about 1 month. The operation and recovery, that is, normalization of breathing through the nose after it, also takes about 1 month. The nose does not begin to breathe well immediately the next day after the operation. This is important to understand, including in order to start using vasoconstrictor drops again.

The doctor may prescribe various medications, physiotherapeutic techniques, as well as surgical interventions.

Drug treatment:

  • corticosteroid drugs - Fluticasone, Nasonex, Flixonase, Avamis. During pregnancy and lactation, these drugs are not prescribed;
  • antihistamines - Zertec, Telfast, Claritin, Teridin;
  • nasal rinsing antiseptics- furatsilin solution, saline solution;
  • rinsing the nose with drugs Dolphin, Sterimar, Aqualor.

Physiotherapeutic methods include:

  • mineral therapy;
  • phytotherapy;
  • capillary therapy;
  • laser therapy.

Operative surgical interventions include:

  • surgical laser intervention;
  • cryotherapy;
  • conchotomy;
  • turbinoplasty;
  • Septoplasty.

For example, one of the surgical procedures is quite simple: under a lung local anesthesia The doctor inserts a special radio wave probe into the nose. The vessels are immediately scarred, so the operation takes place with virtually no blood. Breathing is restored very quickly.

In this case, nasal sprays with a moisturizing effect are not contraindicated (attention: not vasoconstrictors, but moisturizing). They will moisturize and soften the affected organ, also contributing to its speedy recovery.

How to get rid of addiction at home?

First of all, you should completely stop using the nasal spray. If the situation is not advanced, then after experiencing a certain feeling of discomfort, after some time the mucous membrane will recover and free nasal breathing will return.

The recovery period is purely individual and depends on the characteristics of each person’s body, as well as on the degree of development of medicinal rhinitis. On average it ranges from 1 to 4 weeks.

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to get rid of the medication you are using. What to do in such cases?

Try these methods:

  • increase the time intervals between doses pharmacological agent;
  • in order to reduce the concentration of the active treatment substance - dilute the medicine clean water;
  • try to bury it first in one nostril, and after a sufficiently long time in the other;
  • spend more time in the fresh air;
  • carry out wet cleaning and ventilate the apartment;
  • When sleeping, take a position in which your shoulders and head are elevated;
  • Take warm foot baths daily;
  • eat more fruits containing vitamin C.

Treatment of addiction to nasal drops with folk remedies

Alternative treatment for drug-induced rhinitis caused by drops is to irrigate the nasal cavity aqueous solution propolis (0.2 g per 200 ml boiled water room temperature). It is useful to carry out this procedure before bedtime, and for convenience you can use a baby syringe or a syringe without a needle. Warm drinks every night also help to “put off” the nose. foot baths(with water temperature not higher than +50°C) for 10-15 minutes. You should ventilate the room intended for night rest more often and make sure that the air at home is not too dry.

It will also be useful to rinse your nose with sea salt: 1 tbsp. dissolve a spoonful of salt in a liter warm water, you should rinse your nose six times a day.

From more pleasant procedures inhalations will help essential oils eucalyptus and fir (3-5 drops). Take unscented sea salt baths before bed, but be sure to wrap yourself up warm afterward.

You can try herbal treatment, that is, irrigate the nasal passages with decoctions of calendula flowers, pharmaceutical chamomile, leaves peppermint, sage, eucalyptus, pine buds(for 200-250 ml of water, a tablespoon of dry raw materials). And if dry crusts form in the nose, then lubricating the nasal passages with vegetable oils helps soften them.

The juice of a three-year-old (or older) aloe vera helps very well. Mix it with clean water in a ratio of 1:2 respectively. Instill the medicine into each nasal passage 3-4 times daily, 4-5 drops.

Prevention of dependence on vasoconstrictor nasal drops

Prevention of the development of tachyphylaxis and the occurrence of drug-induced rhinitis is the use of anticongestive drugs only for short-term nasal congestion; in other cases it is better to abandon them. In general, treatment for this addiction has a positive prognosis, although studies have shown that those who used such drops again (even a year later) very quickly felt the “ricochet” effect again.

Dependence on nasal drops can occur after just three days of use, but the risk increases significantly after 10 days of use.

Which nasal drops are harmless?

Remember once and for all, harmless vasoconstricting nasal drops and sprays do not addictive, simply does not exist.

All such medications should be taken only after thoroughly reading the accompanying instructions.

What to look for special attention when reading the annotation:

  • deadline for uninterrupted reception;
  • recommended dosages;
  • intervals between doses.

There are some diseases that are almost impossible to avoid throughout life, one of these diseases is, as an integral symptom of any cold. Considering the prevalence of this disease, any pharmacy has in its assortment medicines for runny nose and nasal congestion. The most common means of combating runny nose and nasal congestion today are nasal drops related to vasoconstrictors. Vasoconstrictor drops are so famous medicine, which is facilitated by widespread advertising of nasal drops in products mass media that patients begin to resort to them in most cases even without consulting an ENT doctor.

Video: treatment of dependence on drops with their regular use

Assortment vasoconstrictor drops for the nose in a modern pharmacy is quite rich, despite the variety of these products active substance there is one thing in all these drops. Such a large selection of nasal drops has more to do with marketing, and not with the advantage of one type of drops over another. Medicines in this group have a fairly strong immediate effect, which consists in facilitating nasal breathing during a runny nose. The fact is that the mucous membrane in the nose is abundantly supplied with blood by vessels that have a muscular wall, this is the basis of physiological cognosis of nasal vessels (dilation and constriction of blood vessels), which is necessary for warming and purifying the air during nasal breathing. Active substance what is included in the nasal drops affects the receptors of these vessels, causing them to narrow, and the patient feels a quick result.

If for ten days you are forced to instill drops into your nose, then the further use of these drugs has a purely temporary symptomatic effect; moreover, you are hooked due to the pronounced temporary positive effect of the vasoconstrictor drops and the further use of these drugs does more harm than good.

ENT Doctor Saturday D.V. counseling a patient with naphthyzine addiction

In fact, the pathogenesis of a runny nose and nasal congestion is much more complex and vasoconstrictor drops do not affect all links in the pathogenesis of this condition and are inherently a tool for combating the consequence and not the cause of the disease. short acting As a result, the patient is forced to resort to these remedies quite often.

Consequences of long-term use of nasal drops

Due to its pronounced vasoconstrictive effect, after applying nasal drops, a patient with a runny nose and nasal congestion experiences a noticeable temporary improvement in his condition. This action and the availability of vasoconstrictor nasal drops contributes to frequent use this medicine. Unnoticed, a person becomes a “naphthyzine addict.” A person can no longer do without these drops, it comes to the point that he is even forced to wake up several times at night in order to drip the “miracle” remedy into his nose.

As a result of such “treatment,” persistent pathological condition which are usually called . Neurovegetative regulators of vascular motility of the mucous membrane change degeneratively over time, which leads to persistent swelling of the nasal mucosa, especially in the area of ​​the inferior turbinates. The dose of drops required for a noticeable effect gradually increases, the intervals between instillations into the nose are reduced. Over time, the aerodynamics of the nose are completely disrupted, which can lead to impaired ventilation. auditory tubes which results in hearing loss and... The main function of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract this is a protective barrier function; in a person dependent on vasoconstrictor drops, this function undergoes changes over time not in better side, the nose becomes a “weak” place. Runny nose and sinusitis often become companions of addiction to nasal drops.

How to get rid of addiction to drops

Today, treatment for addiction to nasal drops and vasomotor rhinitis is carried out mainly with the help of surgical methods. Whatever it is surgical method treatment of this disease, be it laser, radio wave surgery All this is a fight against the effect and not the cause of the disease. We have developed a unique concept for the treatment of vasomotor rhinitis that brings stunning results. The point is that everything inflammatory diseases the upper respiratory tract, including vasomotor rhinitis, have one “root”. This root is degenerative changes mucous membrane caused by microbes that we constantly breathe (the inhaled air is not sterile) due to weakening protective properties mucous membrane as a result of acute respiratory viral infection or injury.

Mineral therapy as a way to influence important links in the pathogenesis of naphthyzine addiction

With the help of a set of procedures carried out in our clinic, it is possible to sanitize, restore the entire area of ​​the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract, stabilize local immunity, which allows you to get rid of dependence on nasal drops without surgery. We often have to deal with patients who have been repeatedly operated on for vasomotor rhinitis to no avail, only after undergoing a course of treatment in our clinic did they feel relief. Come to us and see for yourself through your own experience, we will save you from dependence on nasal drops without surgery.

Instructions

When everything is to no avail and wean ourselves from drops you can’t, contact your ENT specialist. The doctor will examine the mucous membrane and prescribe addiction treatment. Sometimes a single dose of an antihistamine is sufficient. As a last resort, you will be prescribed a course of treatment.

Sources:

  • how to wean yourself off nasal drops

Dependence on vasoconstrictor drugs has become a very common problem among allergy sufferers. If earlier allergies were seasonal, during flowering, now allergies and the accompanying allergic rhinitis, have become an all-season phenomenon. Persistent runny nose with discharge, burning and accumulation of mucus in the throat, swelling of the nose - all these phenomena began to be caused not only by plant pollen, but also by the dirt in our homes and on the streets, which enters the body with breathing. Due to the constant use of vasoconstrictor drugs, new look allergies - drug dependence.

You will need

  • - peony tuber root;
  • - centaury;
  • - rose hip;
  • - St. John's wort;
  • - dandelion root;
  • - horsetail;
  • - corn columns with silks;
  • - chamomile;
  • - red geranium;
  • - calendula officinalis.

Instructions

Peony tuber root peel powder is recommended for treatment. Take the peony tuber root and peel off its skin, 2 ml thick. Dry it and grind it into powder. Take ½ teaspoon in powder form 20 minutes before meals 4 times a day with water. The course of treatment is 7-10 days.

To treat allergic rhinitis, prepare the following herbal mixture. Take 5 parts of centaury, 4 parts of St. John's wort and rose hips, 3 parts of dandelion root, 2 parts of horsetail, 1 part of corn stalks with stigmas and chamomile. Grind all ingredients and mix. In the evening, pour 4 tablespoons of the herbal mixture with a glass of water, put it on the fire and, after bringing to a boil, remove from the heat. Insulate the container with the infusion and leave for 4 hours, then strain. Take a glass of the drink three times a day. Prepare immediately for 2-3 days, but the infusion should be in the refrigerator. Allergies can be treated within 3-4 days, but continue for 7-9 days.

Simultaneously with the reception herbal infusions It is useful to prepare and drop into the nose. Take indoor geranium red, wash under running water, dry and grind in a meat grinder, squeeze out the juice. Place 2 drops in each nostril 3-4 times a day.

Calendula drops are also effective. Take calendula leaves and stems, wash and dry them. Twist through a meat grinder and squeeze out the juice. Place 2 drops in each nostril 3 times a day.

Please note

Phytotherapy treatment is long-term, but often much more effective way relief from allergic rhinitis and drug addiction than physiotherapy and surgery.

Useful advice

During treatment of allergic rhinitis, it is recommended to avoid contact with animals and birds, daily cleaning the room you are in long time, ventilate this room more often, avoid contact with household chemicals and book dust.

If you use vasoconstrictor drops more than 7 days, addiction may occur: even after the cold has passed, the runny nose does not stop. It is necessary to get rid of such addiction at its first signs.

What will help you get rid of addiction

Not everyone can just take it and not drip more than a drop. You need to stock up on aloe juice, sea salt in advance, you can choose a spray or drops based on plant extracts. The most important thing in treatment is to decide for yourself that you can get by with the nose and start treatment as early as possible.

To get rid of addiction, you should first reduce the frequency of instillation. You should not use one remedy for the common cold for more than 7 days, this will also reduce the risk of addiction.

Next comes sea salt. She needs to rinse her nose as often as possible. To do this, dilute a teaspoon in a glass of water and rinse each nostril with the resulting solution from a syringe. As soon as the nose becomes clear, instead of instilling vasoconstrictors, rinsing can be done. Sea salt It will help to not use drops at least during the day. You can already buy it at the pharmacy ready solution and use it so as not to make a new one every time.

It will be much more difficult to wean yourself off of nose drops at night. Here, rinsing is no longer suitable. Aloe juice is useful; it will draw pus from the sinuses and have an antibacterial and healing effect. A few drops will make breathing free and clean, relief will come in just a few minutes. But the procedure cannot be called pleasant because of the bitter taste. However, this will more than pay off with a wonderful effect.

It is necessary to replace conventional means with aerosol preparations, which contain natural ingredients, and, therefore, do not cause addiction. A doctor's prescription for this drug is not required.

You can take a hot foot bath at night. It will help your nose to breathe freely. After this, you should wrap your feet in something warm or put on woolen socks.

Medical assistance

Don’t forget that you can always go for a consultation with an ENT doctor. There is a systematic treatment for such addictions. After a thorough examination, the doctor will prescribe a special routine for nasal rinsing and the use of medications. If your dependence on nasal drops is high, you may need to take a course of antibiotics. Although most often it will be enough to take antihistamine, which is used once. It is also prescribed by a doctor.

Phonophoresis, or electrophoresis, are physiotherapeutic procedures that also help wean ourselves off nasal drops. They can only be prescribed by a doctor.

Nasal drops containing vasoconstrictor substances, in addition to improving the process of nasal breathing, can cause addiction. Most often this happens when drops are used frequently or incorrectly.

Instructions

Addiction to the nasal drug occurs with prolonged treatment of an allergic, infectious or other type of runny nose. Often, vasoconstrictor drops are used when the shape of the nasal septum is deformed, when vasomotor rhinitis, hormonal, nutritional, etc. In any case, using drops, the patient wants to get easier breathing, but from repeated use he becomes dependent on the drug.

To get rid of such a disease, in medicine it is called medicinal rhinitis, you need to understand that any addiction is an individual case. You should not self-medicate; it is better to visit a specialist who will prescribe the correct treatment, studying the drugs used against the runny nose and analyzing changes in the nasal mucosa.

In case of a runny nose, how to allergic reaction or food, the allergen is determined. Products that irritate the mucous membrane are excluded from food, and auxiliary medications are prescribed.

Drop addiction can also be treated using other methods: changing the interval between doses of nasal drops, diluting medicinal product distilled water to reduce concentration vasoconstrictor. It is possible to use the method of alternating instillation, i.e. Initially, the drops are applied to one nostril, and then applied again to the other.

In particularly serious cases of dependence on nasal drops, physiotherapeutic treatment is suggested. At the discretion of the doctor, medications that can restore the nasal mucosa may be offered. The patient gets effective results when rinsing the nasal passages saline solution, after which corticosteroid drugs are administered.

Enough common problem Lately I have been getting used to the vasoconstrictor drops.

It all starts out banal: a runny nose appears, which makes breathing difficult and interferes with good sleep. In this situation, most people purchase drops or a spray to relieve nasal congestion at the nearest pharmacy. It seems to the person that the drugs are effective: literally after ten minutes breathing through the nose becomes full. And after the medication stops working, it’s enough to drop it again, and life gets better again. This is how addiction begins.

Gradually with long-term use Using these medications, a person may experience medicinal rhinitis, which is also called “medicinal runny nose.”

The main signs of drug-induced rhinitis are:

  • Difficulty in nasal breathing.
  • The need for constant use of vasoconstrictor drops with a gradual increase in their dose.
  • Decreased sense of smell.
  • Mucous discharge from the nose.
  • Burning, dryness in the nasal cavity
  • Deterioration in sleep quality, which is sometimes complicated by the development of snoring.

Addiction to vasoconstrictor drops appears due to the inability of blood vessels to independently maintain their tone.

The use of drugs for a long time causes atrophy of the nasal mucosa and dilation of the nasal vessels.

Vascular dystonia gradually develops, which causes a persistent decrease in tone and addiction to vasoconstrictor drops.

How to prevent the occurrence of drug-induced rhinitis?

  • Do not use vasoconstrictor drops unless absolutely necessary. If you are being treated at home, it is better to fight the disease by rinsing your nose with a sterile isotonic salt solution or preparations based on natural salts.
  • Carefully read the instructions before using the drug and do not exceed the prescribed dose and frequency of use of the drops.
  • If, while using medications, a runny nose continues for more than 3-4 days, you should stop using them and consult an otolaryngologist.
  • If you have allergic rhinitis, then give preference to antihistamines.
  • Do not use other people's drops and do not give your own - this contributes to the transmission of infection.

Dependence on vasoconstrictor drops can be successfully treated if you consult a specialist in time.