A Guide to Best Nasal Sprays for Allergies (2024)

The best nasal spray for allergies will depend on your symptoms. If you have a runny nose or congestion because of allergies, your healthcare provider may recommend you use an over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription nasal spray to ease your symptoms.

Allergies occur when the immune system mistakes a harmless substance for an invader and overreacts. The body produces immunoglobulin-E (IgE) antibodies, which then signal the release of chemicals like histamine that result in an allergic reaction. Nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing are a few common symptoms of allergies.

A nasal spray can help you feel better when used correctly, but it’s important to use the right type for your symptoms. Always check with your healthcare provider first, especially if you are pregnant or nursing.

There are six types of nasal sprays, some of which can be purchased at a drugstore and some that are only available by prescription. What works for one person may not work for another.

A Guide to Best Nasal Sprays for Allergies (1)

Antihistamine Sprays

As the name suggests, antihistamine sprays block histamine. This is especially helpful for those with a runny nose caused by allergies. Prescription antihistamine sprays include Patanase (olopatadine) and Astelin (azelastine), and there's also an OTC form of Astelin called Astepro.

Decongestant Sprays

The main purpose of decongestant nasal sprays, which are available OTC, is to give you temporary relief from nasal congestion. They do this by constricting the blood vessels in your nose, reducing swelling and thus congestion.

Brand names of these nasal sprays include:

  • Afrin
  • Zicam
  • Sinex
  • Dristan

These sprays are meant to help when you have a brief cold or allergy flare-up and should not be used for more than three consecutive days. If used for longer than that, they can cause rebound congestion, leading to your needing more of the nasal spray, causing a vicious cycle.

Steroid Nasal Sprays

Some steroid nasal sprays are only available with a prescription. However, many others can be bought OTC and are often the first treatment used to address allergies. They can reduce nasal inflammation and congestion as well as help with runny nose and sneezing.

To get the benefits of the medication, you'll need to use it once or twice a day for several weeks. Common steroid nasal sprays include:

  • Rhinocort (budesonide)
  • Flonase (fluticasone)
  • Nasonex (mometasone)
  • Nasacort (triamcinolone)
  • Veramyst (fluticasone furoate)

Saline Sprays

Saline sprays are different from the other sprays on this list because they aren't meant to relieve congestion or other allergy symptoms. Instead, their main function is to help keep your nasal passages moist, which in turn can help prevent nosebleeds due to dryness. Brands of these sprays include Simply Saline, Xlear, and Ayr.

Anticholinergic Sprays

Anticholinergic nasal sprays, such as Atrovent (ipratropium bromide HFA), help to treat a runny nose for those who have allergic rhinitis and nonallergic rhinitis. They work by blocking a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine that triggers nasal secretions. This type of nasal spray can only be obtained with a prescription.

Mast Cell Inhibitor Sprays

Mast cell inhibitor sprays, such as Nasalcrom (cromolyn sodium), work by stabilizing mast cells so they don't release substances that cause inflammation (swelling) in the air passages of the nose. This results in fewer allergy symptoms.

Mast cell inhibitor sprays are available without a prescription.

Nasal sprays are safe when used appropriately and as directed. If you have any medical conditions or are pregnant or nursing, talk with your healthcare provider before using nasal sprays—even OTC ones.

Side Effects of Nasal Sprays

Ask your healthcare provider about any possible side effects of the nasal spray you are using. Common side effects can include:

  • Bitter taste in the mouth
  • Dry mouth
  • Nasal burning
  • Rebound effect (with nasal decongestants), causing more congestion
  • Nosebleeds

Always follow the instructions from your provider or on the product label to determine how often you can use a particular nasal spray.

Are Nasal Sprays Addictive?

Nasal sprays don't produce cravings or highs and are not addictive based on the clinical definition. That said, it is possible to misuse them. Overuse of nasal sprays can lead to rebound congestion (which results in you needing more and more of the spray to get relief), nosebleeds, headaches, and reduced effectiveness of the medication.

In particular, the OTC nasal decongestant spray Benzedrex (propylhexedrine) has the potential to be dangerous if misused. Benzedrex abuse can cause heart problems, such as high blood pressure, and mental health problems, such as paranoia. Always take the nasal spray as directed. If you do not have any relief after using it as stated, talk with your healthcare provider.

Alternatives to Nasal Sprays

If you don’t want to use a nasal spray for your symptoms, sometimes nasal irrigation can be helpful. This involves using a mixture of sterile water and salt (and sometimes baking soda) and flushing it into the nose to rinse mucus out. This can be done with a bulb syringe or a neti pot. It’s important to only use sterile water, not tap water.

Other alternatives to treat your allergies include oral medications like antihistamines, decongestants, and corticosteroids.

Summary

Many different kinds of nasal sprays are available, both over the counter and by prescription only. Talk with your healthcare provider about your symptoms and which nasal spray might be best for you.

6 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

A Guide to Best Nasal Sprays for Allergies (2)

By Jaime R. Herndon, MS, MPH
Herndon is a freelance health/medical writer with a graduate certificate in science writing from Johns Hopkins University.

See Our Editorial Process

Meet Our Medical Expert Board

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?

A Guide to Best Nasal Sprays for Allergies (2024)

FAQs

A Guide to Best Nasal Sprays for Allergies? ›

The bottom line

OTC steroid and antihistamine nasal sprays work best for treating allergy symptoms. Common examples include Flonase, Nasacort, and Astepro. They're safe for both adults and children to use every day.

What is the most effective nasal spray for allergies? ›

The bottom line

OTC steroid and antihistamine nasal sprays work best for treating allergy symptoms. Common examples include Flonase, Nasacort, and Astepro. They're safe for both adults and children to use every day.

Is Zyrtec or Flonase better? ›

FLONASE, a nasal spray, tends to be more effective for nasal symptoms like congestion, while Zyrtec, an oral antihistamine, may be better for symptoms like itching and hives. Individual responses vary, so personal trial is beneficial. What Should You Know About Allergies?

Why was Flonase discontinued? ›

The nasal spray, known by its brand name Fluticasone Propionate Nasal Spray USP and manufactured by Apotex Corp., of Weston, Fla., was pulled voluntarily from the market by the company, which said the glass particles could clog the bottle and cause it to malfunction and, more importantly, abrade the inside of the nose.

What nasal sprays do doctors prescribe? ›

Some examples: Nasal steroids are often a first-line treatment for allergies. Examples like triamcinolone acetonide (Nasacort) and fluticasone propionate (Flonase) are available over the counter. Doctors can also prescribe nasal sprays like beclomethasone (Beconase), ciclesonide (Zetonna), and mometasone (Nasonex).

Is Afrin or Flonase better for allergies? ›

One common misperception when choosing a nasal allergy spray is that all nasal sprays are created equal. However, this is not true. For example, nasal sprays such as Afrin® are only decongestants, while FLONASE allergy relief nasal sprays offer more complete* relief by treating additional nasal allergy symptoms.

What medications cannot be taken with Flonase? ›

The use of strong cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) inhibitors (e.g., ritonavir, atazanavir, clarithromycin, indinavir, itraconazole, nefazodone, nelfinavir, saquinavir, ketoconazole, telithromycin, conivaptan, lopinavir, nefazodone, voriconazole) with Fluticasone Propionate Nasal Spray is not recommended because increased ...

Is there anything stronger than Zyrtec for allergies? ›

However, a review of multiple studies suggests Nasonex may be the most effective for seasonal allergies. The same review found Rhinocort to be the most effective for year-round allergies. Nasal steroids generally take longer to work than antihistamines.

Is there anything better than Flonase? ›

Official answer. Nasacort and Flonase are equally effective, safe, and well tolerated for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Therefore the choice of either Nasacort or Flonase comes down to personal preference, availability or price.

What is the downside of Flonase? ›

Common Flonase side effects include headache and sore throat. Nasal side effects — such as nosebleeds, irritation, and burning — can happen, too. Most side effects are generally mild and can be managed at home. Serious Flonase side effects include vision changes, asthma symptoms, and thrush.

What nasal spray is being recalled? ›

Biomic Sciences Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall of ION* Sinus Support, ION* Sinus, and Restore Sinus Spray Products Due to Microbial Contamination. When a company announces a recall, market withdrawal, or safety alert, the FDA posts the company's announcement as a public service.

Is there a class action lawsuit against Flonase? ›

The lawsuit claims that the seller of Flonase violated state laws by delaying the availability of generic versions of Flonase. The seller is SmithKline Beecham Corporation doing business as GSK. GSK denies it has done anything wrong, but has agreed to settle the claims in the lawsuit for a total of $35 million.

What happens if nasal spray goes down your throat? ›

If nasal spray goes down your throat, you may experience some mild symptoms. These should be temporary and can include: a bitter or unpleasant taste in your mouth. a sensation of liquid or spray at the back of your throat.

Is it bad to use fluticasone every day? ›

In one 6-month long study, researchers found no systemic side effects (when the drug is absorbed and affects the entire body) with use of fluticasone nasal spray used once daily (one 200 mcg dose) or twice a day (100 mcg twice per day). Flonase is usually a well-tolerated nasal allergy spray.

Who should not use azelastine nasal spray? ›

Children younger than 6 years of age should not use nonprescription (over the counter) azelastine nasal spray.

Is Nasacort or Flonase better for allergies? ›

Both are OTC corticosteroid nasal sprays that relieve nasal allergy symptoms, including nasal congestion. But unlike Nasacort® 24 Hour nasal sprays, FLONASE nasal sprays are also indicated to relieve itchy, watery eyes†† to provide you with the symptom relief that you need to be greater than your allergies.

What is the best over-the-counter medicine for allergies and sinuses? ›

Antihistamines, such as Claritin (loratadine), can provide quick relief and can help prevent symptoms if taken every day. Nasal steroids, such as Flonase (fluticasone propionate), are generally the most effective allergy medicines but can take up to 2 weeks to fully work.

Which is better, Astepro or Flonase? ›

Astepro has an average rating of 6.4 out of 10 from a total of 41 ratings on Drugs.com. 54% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 28% reported a negative effect. Flonase has an average rating of 4.8 out of 10 from a total of 179 ratings on Drugs.com.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Terence Hammes MD

Last Updated:

Views: 6473

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (69 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Terence Hammes MD

Birthday: 1992-04-11

Address: Suite 408 9446 Mercy Mews, West Roxie, CT 04904

Phone: +50312511349175

Job: Product Consulting Liaison

Hobby: Jogging, Motor sports, Nordic skating, Jigsaw puzzles, Bird watching, Nordic skating, Sculpting

Introduction: My name is Terence Hammes MD, I am a inexpensive, energetic, jolly, faithful, cheerful, proud, rich person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.