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by A_D_E_P_T 844 days ago
What you're talking about is oxymetazoline and its analogs, like in Afrin nasal spray.

Oxymetazoline is super potent and works immediately on nasal passages, but it can be risky to stay on for more than a few days straight.

Steroids like fluticasone don't work immediately, and take a couple of days to kick in, but you can use them indefinitely. Also, in addition to opening nasal passages, they have general anti-allergic effects -- i.e. they can help with itchy, watery eyes and facial swelling.

2 comments

Correct, I've seen advertisements for afrin like crazy the last 6 months. It shouldn't even be OTC given it's potential harm.
How do you get a prescription for it? If love to use it for sleep but is that enough reason for a doctor to prescribe it?
If you mean for steroids like fluticasone, it's almost always just over-the-counter. https://www.google.com/search?q=Flixonase+polska&tbm=isch&so... looks promising