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Question: Are There Steroids in Nasal Sprays?
A friend told me that an ingredient in my nasal spray – oxymetazoline hcl -- is a steroid. Is that true? Dr. Martha Vetter White responds:
Oxymetazoline hydrochloride is a topical decongestant found in many over the counter nasal decongestant sprays. It is not a steroid. It gives rapid, temporary relief of nasal congestion. If over used, topical nasal decongestants can cause your nasal membranes to become tolerant to the medication, requiring more and more of it to relieve congestion. This can also cause rebound congestion, in which your symptoms worsen if you stop taking the medication. In contrast, nasal corticosteroid sprays are available by prescription only, and are FDA approved as safe and effective for daily use in the treatment of nasal allergies. Nasal steroids act by preventing the allergic reaction and its accompanying inflammation in the nose, and are not addicting. Good luck, Dr. White -- Dr. Martha Vetter White, MD, is cofounder and director of research at the Institute for Asthma &Allergy in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, one of the nation's most active clinical research centers devoted to allergy, asthma, and sinusitis.
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Last updated July 23, 2009
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