Don’t use nasal decongestant sprays for more than seven days: RPS

Key Summary

• Beyond a week, health experts suggest stepping back from nose sprays with xylometazoline or oxymetazoline. Using them longer might lead to rebound stuffiness.
•  RPS warns that prolonged use can worsen congestion over time. These ingredients shrink swollen tissues in the short term. Yet sticking with them too long often brings more blockage, not less.
• The message is clear: limit usage to under a week. Your body may start depending on the spray if used daily. That dependence keeps symptoms going instead of easing them. Better results come from shorter application periods
• Staying on them too long might lead to worse stuffiness instead of relief. Breathing without the spray could become harder over time
• When stuffy noses stick around too long, talking to a pharmacist might help. Healthcare providers can offer guidance worth considering. Relief could come from simply reaching out

Amid the cold and flu season, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has advised the public not to use nasal decongestant sprays for long periods, and called for clear instructions on packages limiting their usage.

Using nasal sprays with xylometazoline – or its alternative spelling, oxymetazoline – for longer than a week might lead to worsening stuffiness. Breathing feels harder without them after a while. The body starts relying on the spray just to stay clear. This cycle kicks in because the nose reacts by swelling again once the effect fades.

Picking up a nasal decongestant spray won’t be hard – stores often carry them. Safety isn’t usually a concern when using these products.

Swelling goes down when they work on a stuffy nose, opening airways so breath can flow better through.

After day seven, continued use might trigger worsening stuffiness – called rhinitis medicamentosa – a trap where relief turns into reliance.

Stopping might make things feel worse when someone uses the spray a lot. Needing it often could be a sign something is off. Grabbing extra bottles happens more than people admit. Going past the suggested amount? That shows up too. Dependence sneaks in quiet like water under a door.

If their condition persists, they need to seek advice from pharmacists or other healthcare professionals.

Start by asking a pharmacist what else might help – maybe saline rinses, or even nasal strips. Try menthol items instead of something stronger sometimes. Steam inhalation works differently than pills do. Each option has its own way of making breathing easier when stuffy.

Following feedback from more than 300 local pharmacists, the RPS released this notice. Many people, it turns out, do not realize that using nose spray too long can cause harm. Awareness is low across communities. That finding shaped the alert now being shared.

Most pharmacists think people do not realize how rebound congestion can happen. A majority feel patients miss this danger when using certain nasal sprays too long.

Not long after the survey began on 25 November 2025, results came back showing most pharmacists had a strong opinion. By early December, nearly three out of four said labels should show the one-week rule more plainly. The deadline matters, yet it often gets missed. Clearer boxes might help people notice. When details vanish into small print, confusion follows. Seven days is short, so reminders need to stand out. That point showed up again and again in their answers.

Folks behind the pharmacy counter stepped in roughly 63 times out of a hundred when spotting possible misuse, sometimes offering different options instead. Or just saying no to the sale.

Now hear this – pack labels should spell out the one-week rule loud and clear. Awareness needs a boost too, especially on how congestion can bounce back worse than before. Safer options exist, yet most people do not know them. Picture that: short-term relief risking longer discomfort. Few connect those dots today. Clearer warnings might change that flow.

RPS chief scientist Professor Amira Guirguis said, “Nasal decongestant sprays can be helpful for short-term relief, but using them for longer than seven days can make your congestion significantly worse.

It turns out a lot of folks just don’t know about this danger – so they keep spraying, not getting that it might actually slow healing. Still, the pattern holds: ignorance leads straight to longer discomfort.

“We’d like to see clearer warnings on the packaging that you can’t miss and greater awareness of the seven-day limit. If your congestion lasts more than a week, speak to your pharmacist. There are safe and effective alternative options to help you manage your symptoms.”