Common mistakes like tilting your head back, sniffing in too hard or blowing your nose immediately after can mean the medicine isn’t reaching the right part of your nose.
By Blua | Digital health by Bupa
Common mistakes like tilting your head back, sniffing in too hard or blowing your nose immediately after can mean the medicine isn’t reaching the right part of your nose.
Bupa’s Clinical Director Dr Simon Benson explains the right way to use a nasal spray.
3 minute read
Published 11 April 2024
[Dr Simon Benson stands in a medical office facing the camera].
Simon Benson: Hi, I'm Dr Simon Benson.
It's that time of year when the pollen's coming out, it's spring. But with spring, people do get hay fever.
What are the symptoms of hay fever? Runny nose, sneezing and itchy eyes.
If you have any of these, but you're well, you can head down to your local chemist for some advice.
One of the things that they might recommend to you is a nasal spray, like this one.
There are lots on the market that could help with your symptoms.
I'm going to show you how to use a nasal spray. Did you know that there is a right way and a wrong way to do it? And I'm going to show you how to do it the right way.
The first thing to do: take off the cap.
Give it a little shake, and if it's the first time you're using it, or you haven't used it for a little while, give it a good squirt, just to make sure a full dose comes out like that.
When you're ready, blow your nose. This helps clear out some of the mucus, and lets the medicine get to work in all the right places.
When you're ready, tilt your head forward, like this.
[Dr Benson demonstrates how to insert the nasal spray into a nostril, and leans slightly forward].
Cover one nostril with your finger, place the nasal spray into the other nostril, breathe out.
When you're ready, start a long, slow, deep breath in through your nose.
Whilst you're breathing in, press the spray to deliver a dose, and continue breathing in all the way to the end of your breath through your nose.
When you reach the end of your breath, you can breathe out, and repeat on the other side.
Sometimes, a little bit of clear fluid can come out of your nose. That might mean that the medicine hasn't gone into the right spot. So next time, try leaning a bit further forward or angling the spray a little further back.
And if you get into difficulty, pop into your local chemist for some advice.
Try not to blow your nose afterwards, 'cause you might blow out some of the medicine and stop it from doing its job properly.
If you breathe in too hard, you might get a little bit on the back of your throat, which could give you a bit of a funny taste.
Try breathing a little slower next time, and again, see your chemist if you have any further problems.
Nasal sprays can offer effective relief for allergy symptoms, but they need to be used correctly to do the job.
Here’s how you use a nasal spray.
There are lots of different nasal sprays on the market, which work in different ways.
Some products like corticosteroid nasal sprays need to be used consistently up to 2 weeks before they’re effective. Others like decongestants are designed for short-term use and should not be used for more than a few days.
It’s important to follow the instructions from your doctor of pharmacist. And if a product causes a nosebleed or irritation, stop using it and see your medical professional.
Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia has online support resources available. You can also call for help and support on 1300 728 000.
Allergy 250K provides support for teenagers and young adults.
National Asthma Council Australia provides information and support for those living with asthma.
Our health and wellbeing information is regularly reviewed and maintained by a team of healthcare experts, to ensure its relevancy and accuracy. Everyone's health journey is unique and health outcomes vary from person to person.
This content is not a replacement for personalised and specific medical, healthcare, or other professional advice. If you have concerns about your health, see your doctor or other health professional.
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