Many drugs make promises that are too good to be true. Such is the case with nasal decongestants such as Afrin and Neo-Synephrine which provide immediate relief with a serious consequence---addiction.

The sprays, when used once or twice, do work miracles by relieving nasal congestion in just minutes by reducing the blood flow to the lining of the nose. The problem is many users fail to heed the warning on the package which explains not to use the nasal spray or drops for more than three to five days to avoid worsening the inflammation of the lining of the nasal passages and destroying nasal cilia.

Once you go beyond the recommended time, you experience the addiction or rebound effect, which means your nose will be more congested than it was when you started. These sprays contain a preservative called benzalkonium that is the culprit in causing rebound congestion.

Here is a typical scenario of how you might become addicted to the sprays. On day 1, you use the spray with good results for 12 hours. Day 2 finds your nose clogged up again so you reach for the spray. This time the relief is not as long-lasting and you need it again in eight hours. Six hours may be all you get on day 3, and the amount of relief may drop to four hours on subsequent days. You are now experiencing the rebound effect which will cause you to use it even more.

These medications not only cause rebound congestion but also make you feel nervous and irritable, increase the heart rate and disturb your sleep because you are revved up. The more you use, the worse all of your symptoms become. What promised a miracle has now become a nightmare.

How do you escape the vicious cycle created by the nasal sprays? Best solution is don’t ever start. If you must use them, follow the package warning and stop using them after three to five days.

If you are caught in the nasal spray trap, you can try a withdrawal program, recommended in the book, “The Sinus Cure,” by Dr. Murray Grossan and Debra Bruce. The program involves gradually diluting the amount of nasal spray or drops you are using until you are free from your addiction.

Begin by taking the nasal spray solution and adding an equal amount of saline (either a packaged solution or homemade from ½ teaspoon salt and one cup warm water). Label this new solution bottle “A.” Shake up the new solution to mix and use this diluted spray for one week.

For week 2, add an equal amount of saline and solution from bottle “A” and label this bottle “B.” Use this solution for the second week. On week 3, remove ½ ounce of the diluted solution in bottle “B” and add it to a new bottle called “C,” along with an equal amount of saline. Continue this dilution process on subsequent weeks until you completely wean yourself away from the nasal spray or drops.