Nasal steroid sprays are great for reducing the itching, sneezing, congestion, and runny nose from allergies. But do you know how long to use nasal steroids?
Since you don’t need a prescription, it’s easy to just pop into the drug store and pick up a bottle for allergy season. Nonprescription nasal steroids sprays include:
- Fluticasone (Brand name = Flonase)
- Triamcinolone (Brand name = Nasacort AQ)
But if you don’t use them correctly, you won’t enjoy the full benefit that they offer.
The main mistake I see is that some people use nasal steroids as a quick fix, expecting relief within 30 minutes or so. When they feel no different, they conclude that the steroids aren’t effective for their symptoms. In reality, using nasal steroids like this is not giving the medications a fair chance.
Steroid nasal sprays lower the activity of inflammatory cells that cause many of the allergic symptoms. Steroids also make the blood vessels less leaky. These processes take time.
When you start using a steroid nasal spray, you may sense a bit of relief within 12 hours or even sooner. But clinical guidelines recommend using the steroids every day during pollen season to get the full benefit. That’s because it takes several days or even weeks for the medications to reach their full effect, especially if symptoms are severe.
I recommend my patients to use the spray every day for at least 2 weeks when they’re suffering from severe seasonal allergies. It’s generally safe to use it for even longer periods if needed. But many people can get away with just using it for a few weeks or months when their allergy symptoms are the worst.
Does everybody need to use it for 2 weeks?
No. If your symptoms are mild and they don’t occur every day, then using the nasal steroids for just 1 to 2 days might be enough.
How do I spray it?
Follow these steps for proper usage of a steroid nasal spray:
- Wash your hands
- Blow your nose gently to clear out excess mucus. If you have a lot of crusting, use a sterile saline nasal spray (available at the pharmacy) to rinse out your nose.
- Shake the steroid bottle a few times
- Lean your head forward slightly. Do not tilt your head back because the medication will simply drain down your throat
- Breath out
- Spray the steroid towards the outer wall of your nostril. Do not spray towards the middle of your nose (septum) because that area can become irritated.
- Inhale slowly and gently
- Repeat for the other nostril
Have you used nasal steroids for at least 2 weeks for seasonal allergies? Or have you found relief after only a few days?
