Pharmacy chiefs warn overuse of nasal sprays can cause irreversible damage to airways

Health chiefs have warned of rising numbers of people becoming addicted to nasal decongestant sprays, which can cause irreversible damage to the airways. 

The sprays – available for less than £4 at high street chemists – are a go-to remedy for relieving a blocked nose, especially during cold and flu season. 

The NHS advises that these types of nasal sprays shouldn’t be used for longer than a week .

But concerning new research has revealed that nearly 60 per cent of people are unaware of this time limit, putting them at serious danger of rebound-congestion. 

Research conducted by ITV and Ipsos found more than a fifth of adults who have used the sprays have done so for longer than seven days – meaning around 5.5million in the UK have risked dependency. 

Experts at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) say that using them for longer than a week at a time can irritate the sensitive blood vessels in the nose, causing swelling. 

This in turn makes congestion worse, resulting in a viscous cycle that leaves patients dependent on the medication to help them breathe. 

Medically known as rhinitis medicamentosa, it can affect anyone who overuses nasal sprays, triggering irritation, runny nose, sneezing and congestion. 

Some patients who have a chronic history of the condition are forced to have surgery to address damage caused by chronic swelling, which can lead to breathing problems and facial disfigurements. 

Now, the RPS are calling for the risks of overusing these medications, such as Sudafed and Vicks, to be clearly labelled on packaging. 

Professor Amira Guirguis, chief scientist at the RPS, said: ‘Our research shows that many people are unaware of this risk, which means they may continue using these sprays without realising they could be prolonging their symptoms.

‘We’d like to see clearer warnings on the packaging which you can’t miss and greater awareness of the seven-day limit.’ 

Others, who have been affected by the problem, have previously called for the medications to be made available by prescription only, so GPs can monitor and limit the supply. 

One patient trapped in a cycle of what she calls ‘addiction’ is Charlotte Johnstone, 30, who first started using the nasal sprays at just seven-year-old. 

She recently told ITV that at the height of her 23 year health battle, she was reaching for the decongestant eight times a day. 

‘I can’t sleep without having it, I wake up and the first thing I do is have my nasal spray,’ she said. 

Now, her addiction-related anxiety is so bad that she dreams about not being able to breathe and will not go anywhere which would restrict her access to the spray.