Allergy Medicine: Comparing the Best OTC Allergy Medications
No matter what’s causing your allergy symptoms, the right medication can provide relief. Review the best allergy medicines available, from nasal sprays to pills.
mometasone
Used for Allergic Rhinitis, Nasal Congestion
Used for Allergic Rhinitis, Nasal Congestion
Mometasone nasal spray is used to prevent the nose symptoms of seasonal allergies, as well as to treat nose and sinus inflammation in adults with nasal polyps. Some side effects this medication can cause include headache and bloody nose. Mometasone nasal spray is available both with a prescription and over the counter (OTC).
What is Mometasone nasal spray?
What is Mometasone nasal spray used for?
- Temporary relief of allergy symptoms (e.g., stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, itchy nose) (OTC only)
- Prevention of seasonal allergies (prescription only)
- Treatment of long-term nose and sinus inflammation with nasal polyps (prescription only)
How Mometasone nasal spray works
Mometasone nasal spray is a corticosteroid that works directly in your nose to lower chemicals that cause swelling and inflammation.
Drug facts
| Common Brands | Nasonex 24HR Allergy |
|---|---|
| Drug Class | Corticosteroid |
| Controlled Substance Classification | Not a controlled medication |
| Generic Status | Lower-cost generic available |
| Availability | Prescription or over-the-counter |
Side effects of Mometasone nasal spray
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Headache (26%)
- Viral infection (14%)
- Sore throat (12%)
- Bloody nose or mucus (11%)
- Coughing (7%)
- Upper respiratory tract infection (i.e., common cold; 6%)
- Period cramps (5%)
- Muscle pain (5%)
- Congestion, pressure near the nose or forehead, and other symptoms of sinus infection (5%)
Less Common Side Effects
- Joint pain
- Asthma
- Chest pain
- Pink eyes
- Diarrhea
- Indigestion
- Ear pain
- Nausea
- Runny nose
Mometasone nasal spray serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Severe allergic reaction: hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or throat
The following Mometasone nasal spray side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
More common
Bloody mucus or unexplained nosebleeds
chills
headache
hoarseness
increased abdominal or stomach pain and cramping during menstrual periods
muscle or bone pain
stuffy or runny nose
Less common
discharge or redness in the eye, eyelid, or inner lining of the eyelid
tightness in the chest
troubled breathing
Rare
Sores inside the nose
white patches inside the nose or mouth
Incidence not known
Blurred vision
difficulty with swallowing
dizziness
fast heartbeat
hives, skin rash
itching, puffiness, or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or genitals
unusual tiredness or weakness
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
Less common
joint or muscle ache or pain
nasal burning or irritation
stomach upset or discomfort following meals
Incidence not known
Bad, unusual, or unpleasant (after) taste or smell
change in taste or smell
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Get your GoodRx coupon
$136.15
GoodRx discount
$39.20
Pros and cons of Mometasone nasal spray
Pros
- Works well to prevent and treat allergy symptoms
- Available OTC
- Can be used to help control allergy symptoms in children 2 years or older (OTC only)
- Available as a lower-cost generic with a prescription
Cons
- Can take 1 to 2 weeks or longer to see the full effects
- Doesn't have a counter on the spray bottle, so it can be hard to remember how many sprays are left
- Can cause side effects like headache and nose bleeds in some people
- Unknown if safe while pregnant or breastfeeding
Pharmacist tips for Mometasone nasal spray
- Before you use a new bottle, remember to spray mometasone nasal spray a few times until you see a fine mist come out. You should also do this if you haven't used the bottle for over a week or you just cleaned the nozzle to make sure that you get the right amount of medicine with each spray.
- If this is your first time using mometasone nasal spray, ask your provider or pharmacist to show you the proper way to use it.
- Each time you use a dose of mometasone nasal spray, blow your nose gently and shake the bottle well. Make sure to sniff gently as you spray your dose inside of your nostril so the medication gets deep into your nose. Afterwards, breathe out through your mouth so the medication stays in your nose.
- For best results, use mometasone nasal spray every day without missing a dose. It can take 1 to 2 weeks for the medication to work its best.
- Always wipe the spray nozzle with a clean tissue after each use and replace the cap to keep it clean. The spray nozzle should be cleaned weekly (see the instructions that came with your product on how to do this).
- Only use mometasone nasal spray in your nose. Don't spray it into your mouth or eyes.
- Don't use mometasone nasal spray if you have an injury or recent surgery in your nose.
- If you have an eye infection, ask your provider if mometasone nasal spray is safe for you to use.
- Let your provider or pharmacist know all of the medications you're taking. They can help check for any interactions with mometasone nasal spray.
- Never share your mometasone nasal spray bottle with anyone, since this could spread germs.
- It's normal to feel stinging in your nose for a few seconds after using mometasone nasal spray. If this becomes bothersome, contact your provider.
- Stop using mometasone nasal spray and contact your provider if 1) you have or come into contact with someone who has chickenpox, measles, or tuberculosis (TB); 2) your symptoms don't get better within 7 days or if you get new symptom; 3) you get a constant whistling sound from your nose; 4) you experience vision changes; or 5) you have severe or frequent nosebleeds.
- For OTC Nasonex 24HR Allergy, throw away your bottle 75 days after first using it, even if there's still medication inside.
Risks and warnings for Mometasone nasal spray
Mometasone nasal spray can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Nose injury and slowed wound healing
- Risk factors: Long-term use | Surgery or trauma to the nose or sinuses
Mometasone nasal spray can sometimes cause bloody nose as a side effect. Long-term use can also injure the nasal septum, which is the cartilage in the nose that divides the nostrils. Ask your provider to check your nose if you experience bleeding or have been using mometasone nasal spray for a long time. If you recently had surgery, ulcers, or trauma in your nose or sinuses, ask your provider when it is safe to start using mometasone nasal spray since it might impact the healing process.
Fungal infection in the nose and throat
Mometasone nasal spray can cause fungal infections in your nose and throat. If you notice that your nose or throat has any pain, redness, or white patches, stop taking mometasone nasal spray and see your provider.
Vision changes
- Risk factors: Long-term use of mometasone nasal spray | History of glaucoma or high eye pressure | History of cataracts
Using mometasone nasal spray for a long time can potentially raise your eye pressure, worsen glaucoma, and cause cataracts (cloudiness in the eyes). Talk to your provider right away if you experience blurry vision, eye discomfort, or other changes in their vision after using mometasone nasal spray.
Risk of infection
- Risk factors: Not current with vaccinations | Taking other medications that weaken the immune system
Using mometasone nasal spray for a long time might weaken your immune system, which can put you at higher risk for infections. Talk to your provider before taking mometasone nasal spray if you're currently taking medications that can weaken your immune system, if you haven't been vaccinated for serious diseases like chickenpox and measles, or if you currently have an active infection.
Hormone changes
- Risk factors: Higher doses of mometasone nasal spray
Using mometasone nasal spray can cause your body to produce less cortisol hormone. This is more likely to happen if you take higher doses than recommended. Cortisol helps control your mood, stress, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. If you have symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, or low blood pressure after stopping mometasone nasal spray, let your healthcare provider know so that they can perform tests. In some cases, your provider might need to stop mometasone nasal spray slowly.
Poor growth in children
- Risk factors: Children | Higher doses of mometasone nasal spray
Mometasone nasal spray could affect the growth rate of some children and teens. This is more likely to happen when it's used at higher-than-recommended doses. If your child is using mometasone nasal spray, make sure to always supervise them to make sure they aren't using too much. Use the lowest dose that works to control your child's symptoms, and see your child's provider regularly so they can monitor their growth.
Mometasone nasal spray dosage
The average cost for 1 nasal spray of 17g of 50mcg of Mometasone nasal spray is $39.20 with a free GoodRx coupon. This is 71.21% off the average retail price of $136.15. 
Nasal spray
Nasal spray| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17g of 50mcg | 1 nasal spray | $39.20 | $39.20 |
Typical dosage for Mometasone nasal spray
Mometasone nasal spray is available both over the counter and by prescription. For both OTC and prescription versions, each spray contains 50 mcg of mometasone.
Nasonex 24HR Allergy (OTC):
- Children and adults 12 years and older: The typical dose is 2 sprays in each nostril once daily.
- Children 2 to 11 years old: The typical dose is 1 spray in each nostril once daily.
- Children under 2 years old: Don't use.
Generic mometasone nasal spray (prescription only):
Prevention of seasonal allergy symptoms:
- Children and adults 12 years and older: The typical dose is 2 sprays in each nostril once daily starting 2-4 weeks before pollen season.
Treatment of nose and sinus inflammation with nasal polyps:
- Adults 18 years and older: The typical dose is 2 sprays in each nostril once or twice daily.
Interactions between Mometasone nasal spray and other drugs
Mometasone nasal spray may interact with certain medications or supplements. Always let your doctor and pharmacist know about any other medications or supplements (including prescribed and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and dietary or herbal supplements) that you are currently taking. The list below does not include all possible drug interactions with Mometasone nasal spray. Please note that only the generic name of each medication is listed below.
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Bemiparin
- Lutetium Lu 177 Dotatate
- Macimorelin
- Nadroparin
- Ritonavir
- Sargramostim
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Auranofin
- Ketoconazole
How much does Mometasone nasal spray cost?
To access savings, use a GoodRx coupon and pay just a fraction of the retail price.
What are alternatives to Mometasone nasal spray?
There are a number of medications that your doctor can prescribe in place of Mometasone nasal spray. Compare a few possible alternatives below.
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Mometasone nasal spray images
