xylometazoline addictive

Xylometazoline works wonderfully to unblock my nose. Turns out there was a little bit of mucus stuck in my system, but probably mostly swollen tissues in the nose.

I've been using it every night for almost a week, and now I started getting symptoms during the day too. I remembered reading about people who become dependent on nose drops. So I read up and decided that I can't continue using it:

Rhinitis medicamentosa is an iatrogenic condition where rhinitis has developed as a result of inappropriate use of vasconstrictor nasal drops to relieve nasal congestion.

Sympathomimetic decongestants cause vasoconstriction of the nasal mucosal blood vessels providing relief from the symptom of nasal congestion. However, as their effects wear off, secondary vasodilatation occurs causing the sense of congestion to return. This prompts further application of the decongestant and a vicious circle of use develops.

In this condition, rhinitis is thought to be a consequence of tissue hypoxaemia from reduced mucosal blood flow.

Of the sympathomimetrics, ephedrine is the safest to use topically. Agents with more potent vasoconstrictor activity such as oxymetazoline and xylometazoline are more likely to cause a rebound effect. All should be avoided in patients receiving monoamine oxidase inhibitors because of the risk of provoking a hypertensive crisis.

(Afrin falls in the same category, being based on oxymetazoline HCl)

Thanks Google. No thanks to Dr. Quack, who gave me this medication without any warnings. I could have become an addict. (see here for a nicotine-patch approach to quitting)

This vasoconstrictor effect seems to be exactly what I need. But how can I achieve it without causing this rebound effect? ice?


Other Things I Could Try:

* daily steroid sprays (e.g. Fluticasone), which I thought didn't work, but maybe I didn't keep it up long enough. It's doubtful it could be helpful, since I apparently don't have allergic rhinitis, but either vasomotor 1 2 or irritative rhinities + maybe deviated septum. (note to self: ask the hospital for copies of my exam results)


* daily saline wash (which I've already begun)

* laser resection surgery of the nasal turbinates to make more room in there 1 2