Decongestant medication
Introduction
Decongestants are a type of medicine that can provide short-term relief for a blocked or stuffy nose (nasal congestion).
They can help ease the symptoms of conditions such as Cold and flu , hay fever and other allergic reactions , and sinusitis .
They work byreducing the swelling of the blood vessels in your nose, which helps open upthe airways.
This page covers:
Types of decongestants
Who can take decongestants
How to use decongestants
Side effects of decongestants
Interactions with other medications
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 4 Jan 2017
Introduction
Decongestants are medicines that can provide short-term relief for a blocked or stuffy nose (nasal congestion). Find out about the different types and who can take them.
Types of decongestants
Decongestants are available as: nasal sprays tablets or capsules liquids or syrups flavoured powders to dissolve in hot water Someproducts may justcontain decongestant medication, but many are
Who can take decongestants
Most people can use decongestants safely,but they're not suitable for everyone. Theyshouldn't be used by the following groups of peoplewithout getting advice from a pharmacist orGP first: babies an
How to use decongestants
Most decongestants should only be used three or four times a day. Check the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine for advice about how much totake and how often to take it. If you
Side effects of decongestants
Decongestant medicines don't usually have side effects, and any side effects you mayexperience are usually mild. Possibleside effects can include: irritationof the lining of your nose headaches
Interactions withother medications
Seek advice from a pharmacist or GP before taking decongestants if you're taking other medications. Decongestants canincrease or decreasethe effect of some other medications. For example, takingdecon
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