How Does a Person Become Addicted to Nasal Spray?
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Use
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Nasal sprays are typically used to relieve congestion caused by a cold, flu or allergies. When you have one of these ailments, you get congested because the b;ood vessels lining your nose start to dilate and expand. Using a nasal spray forces them to constrict, which clears the pathways.
Tolerance
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Nasal sprays are meant to be used for no more than four days. If you use them past this period, the Mayo Clinic says that your nasal membranes may build up a tolerance. When this happens, you have to use more spray to achieve the same effect that a small amount used to have. If you try to stop using it altogether, you may suffer the rebound effect, meaning you get even worse congestion.
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Addiction
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A person who feels that he has to keep using nasal spray to prevent the rebound congestion, and who must keep using increased amounts to maintain the desired effect, can be considered "addicted" to nasal spray. However, the Mayo Clinic says this is not the equivalent of an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Nasal sprays don't have any addictive ingredients, and a user doesn't develop an actual craving for them. The continued use is based on a desire to prevent the rebound congestion.
Treatment
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An addiction to nasal spray can be treated by stopping the use of the spray and waiting for the rebound effects to wear off. If you stop using the spray, your tolerance will eventually wear off. You can avoid future addiction by not using a nasal spray any longer than three days in a row or by using a different kind of medication to control your congestion.
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References
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