Many people who suffer from allergies are often recommended by friends to try out some sinus sprays or another as a magic cure to solve all of their problems.  Truth be told these sprays are actually extremely good ways to address short term allergic symptoms associated with the sinuses and your nasal passages, which can often be the most miserable symptoms of an allergy attack, but this is often not without cost.

The problem lies in something called the rebound effect.  Many over the counter nasal decongestant sprays constrict the blood vessels in your nasal passage to treat the symptoms, but over time the body builds up a tolerance to the drug, forcing the individual to use more and more of the drug to treat their symptoms.  This leads to a vicious cycle that can be extremely hard to break, and lead to a very miserable period once it is broken.

However not every sinus spray is subject to this problem.  In fact, essentially all prescription versions are safe to use and non-habit-forming.  The standard prescription spray uses corticosteroids to treat classic allergy symptoms like runny or stuffy noses caused by allergies.  Antihistamine sprays can help prevent congestion and stop postnasal drip by blocking histamine, one of the chemicals your body releases when it is fighting an allergy attack.  While some corticosteroids can cause headaches or bloody noses, few to none of the prescription sprays will have long term health effects or addictions that you need to be concerned of.  Simply skip the typical decongestant sprays in favor of talking with your doctor and getting the right spray for your allergies without suffering the ill effects.  A simple conversation can save you a lot of misery in the long run.