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A blocked nose can make it difficult to sleep and taste food, and it can get really annoying after a while. Nasal decongestant sprays like oxymetazoline can provide relief, but continued use can worsen nasal obstruction by causing irritation and inflammation in the nasal passages. A recent clinical trial was on a mission to find a combination of drugs that can provide lasting relief from chronic nasal blockage without triggering rebound congestion, a type of nasal obstruction that happens when you overuse nasal decongestant sprays.
The new combination treatment included oxymetazoline, a decongestant, and budesonide, a steroid, which researchers tested for seven weeks in patients with long-term chronic nasal obstruction. After four weeks, 83% of participants in the combination group reported at least moderate improvement, compared with 36% who received budesonide alone. Also, none of the patients using the combination spray experienced rebound swelling during this period.
When a blocked nose makes breathing difficult, nasal sprays are often among the first things people reach for. Standard steroid nasal sprays fail to provide adequate relief for up to 40% of people with chronic nasal obstruction.
Over-the-counter decongestants such as oxymetazoline can clear a blocked nose almost instantly. By shrinking the blood vessels in the nasal lining, they open up the nasal passages and make breathing easier. However, the relief can come at a cost when the spray is used for too long.
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