People with allergies are really caught in a tough spot. The nasal congestion and eye irritation that so frequently accompany allergies are debilitating. But the medications that are used to counteract these reactions can also make people feel bad. Antihistamines may make them drowsy, while steroid sprays may cause discomfort (dryness, stinging or burning in the nasal passages), sneezing or throat irritation. What about saline spray?
Alternative to Steroid Spray:
Q. My daughter is allergic to just about everything. I had her on Flonase steroid nose spray, but she absolutely hated taking it. I looked for an alternative and read about saline spray. I grabbed a bottle and she tried it.
She was totally stuffy, just breathing through her mouth. She used the saline spray and it cleared her nasal passages.
Some Science on Saline Spray:
A. Saline spray is a simple solution that has not been studied very much for nasal allergies. One pilot study of 40 people with this condition found that twice daily “irrigation” with saline solution (NeilMed) improved their symptoms and quality of life (American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy, Jul-Aug., 2014).
All of these volunteers were using steroid nasal sprays such as fluticasone (Flonase) in addition to the saline. The study lasted two months, but there was no control group.
Sterile, preservative-free saline solutions seem like a reasonable option for people with allergies and congestion. While it won’t help with allergy-induced eye irritation, relief from congestion counts for a lot. We appreciate your suggestion.
