Nasal Spray Reviews and Buying Guide:

How many of us have allergy problems that cause our sinuses to flair up and our noses to run? Millions of Americans have nasal problems and there are countless nasal sprays on the market that are meant to solve our nose issues. Nasal sprays help with nasal congestion, allergies, sinus infections, runny noses, and general stuffiness. Nose sprays are broken into 5 main categories - antihistamine sprays, corticosteroid nasal spray, cromolyn sodium nasal sprays, decongestant sprays, and saline nasal spray. The antihistamine nasal sprays are by prescription only and work best for those with dust and pollen allergies. They can leave a bad taste in your mouth. The corticosteroid nasal sprays like Flonase target congestion, inflammation and swelling in your sinuses and have an anti-inflammatory effect. If they are used to often, you may experience nose bleeds, nasal burning and overall irritation in your nasal cavaties. Decongestant nose sprays are sold over the counter (OTC) and help reduce congestion and stuffiness. Saline nasal sprays are the safest of the bunch and are a great preventive measure if you have nasal problems. Saline washes keep mucus from building up in your nasal passages keep the nose moist. The cromolyn sodium nasal sprays are also OTC and treat itchy, watery, runny noses but can't stop stuffiness.

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Doctors say if you are prone to sinus infections and nasal congestion you should clean your nasal passages regularly with nasal washes and use an humidifier. I have had seasonal allergies for years and have tried multiple nasal sprays, allergy medications, and even allergy shots only to have a persistent clogged nose no matter what. My sinuses become inflammed and sprays and pills don't seem to alleviate the problem. Many of the nasal sprays leave a bitter taste in my mouth which makes all food taste terrible. Ideally you start with the saline nasal sprays that are a great preventive measure and work your way through the over the counter nasal sprays up to the prescription drugs if need be. Nasal-allergies.com is an informative site and you can get a $10 coupon to try Nasonex. We found several of the leading nasal sprays have discount coupons on their websites you can print out and save on the cost. Talk with your doctor to determine which type of nose spray is best for your situation and get a prescription if you need powerful solutions. Sinus problems can make you tired, irritated and generally rundown if they go unattended. Serious problems can arise if you consistently suffer from sinus infections and side effects from some of the nasal sprays need to be considered before taking them. We have tried to list the leading brand names in each category below so you have some reference point to start with. Most of websites that we have listed where you can learn more and your doctor should be able to fill in any details that aren't clear. Drugstore.com carries almost all of the OTC brands and there are even customer opinions on many for you to read.

Antihistamine Nasal Spray:

If you suffer from seasonal allergens and environmental irritants, then Astelin is a prescription antihistamine that may help. It is used to treat hay fever and allergy symptoms including runny nose, sneezing, and itchy nose. Astelin is a steroid free nasal spray prescribed to people 12 and over. You spray it into each nostril twice a day. Possible side effects are bitter taste, drowsiness, weight increase, muscle pain, and nasal burning. Astelin.com offers a $10 off coupon and plenty of information they want you to know about the drug. Consumer Reports also has a "medical guide" section to their website with further unbiased information at http://www.consumerreports.org/mg/drug-reports/azelastine-nasal-spray.htm.

Corticosteroid Nasal Spray:

Flonase is a brand that many allergy sufferers are familiar with and I have used it several times as a way to suppress my irritate nose. Flonase is approved to "treat nasal symptoms from indoor and outdoor allergies as well as year-round nonallergic nasal symptoms" per the Flonase website. It is suggested that you use Flonase daily and it does reduce congestion, sneezing, itchy and runny nose symptoms. My wife has bad indoor allergies to dust and she used Flonase for quite some time, but the taste it left in her mouth was too much and she eventually went back to preventive care methods like saline sprays below and decongestant pills. You can find more information online at Flonase.com and some unbiased data at http://www.consumerreports.org/mg/drug-reports/fluticasone-nasal-spray.htm. Nasonex is another prescription nasal spray that competes with Flonase. You can learn more at Nasonex.com.

Decongestant Nasal Spray:

Afrin is a recognized nasal decongestant spray that promotes nasal drainage and relieves nasal stuffiness. The 12 hour mist pump product comes in Original, Severe Congestion, Extra Moisturizing, and Sinus. Afrinsprays.com is the products homepage with details on the various types of nasal spray products they have. The site offers a product comparison chart between the 4 types of nasal spray from Afrin so you can quickly see which symptoms you are suffering from and which issues the sprays worst best on. Afrin "works in seconds" and gives "relief for up to 12 hours". Most users who posted their opinions online say they did get sinus relief, but there are some concerns on the addictive powers of this drug over time. I prefer using simple Sudafed tablets instead of nasal sprays, but even the Sudafed products have been in the news lately for the ingredients that people are using for the drug "meth".

Cromolyn Sodium Nasal Sprays:

Again, these are availabe as OTC (over the counter) drugs from your local drug store or pharmacy. NasalCrom Allergy Prevention Nasal Spray is available on sites like Amazon.com where they offer a 2 pack for $30 (Drugstore.com sells 1 pack for $16). I think the real problem with any of these nasal sprays is that you are pretty much forced to use them everyday which seems ridiculous after a while. Nevertheless, NasalCrom gets good reviews in terms of clearing up allergy related nose problems and some users say it definitely "helps prevent allergy symptoms". If you suffer from hay fever and nasal allergies, this non-habit forming spray is a good start. For those of you with year round allergies NasalCrom alleviates symptoms to dust mites, mold and pet dander that are always in the air.

Saline Nasal Spray:

We read an excellent article online published by the Mayo Clinic that talked directly about runny and stuffy noses and how to manage them. The research showed that avoiding irritants can certainly help (we know that) and it recommended trying saline nasal sprays or saltwater rinses as a way to thin mucus buildup in your nasal passages. I know several friends and family members who suffer from allergies and they do a daily nasal cleansing just like you would brush your teeth. It's become a part of their daily routine and for the most part it helps keep their symptoms to a minimum. The product they all claim works the best is Xlear Nasal Wash which is non-addictive. Xlear helps fight allergens, bacteria, pollutants, sinus infections, and middle ear infections. We found their website at Xlear.com and the nasasl spray sells for about $10 (for 1.5 oz bottle). Amazon has quite a few positive reviews on this product as well with users saying "it helps prevent sinus headaches" and reduced other "sinus problems".

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