Phenylephrine Non-Prescription

According to the manufacturer's label, you can use phenylephrine nasal spray as often as every 4 hours. But don't use this medication for longer than 3 days in a row because doing so can raise the risk of rebound congestion. Note that if phenylephrine nasal spray was prescribed to you by a healthcare provider, it's possible they might give you different instructions than what's in the manufacturer's label. Talk with your healthcare team if you have more questions about using phenylephrine nasal spray.

No, phenylephrine nasal spray and oxymetazoline (Afrin) aren't the same, but they're similar. Both medications are nasal decongestant sprays that eases congestion by tightening the blood vessels in the nose. They're both available over the counter for adults and children. One main difference is that oxymetazoline (Afrin) typically lasts longer than phenylephrine nasal spray. It's taken every 10 to 12 hours whereas phenylephrine nasal spray is taken every 4 hours.

No, phenylephrine nasal spray isn't addictive. The definition of addiction is when a person continues to engage in a behavior even though it's harmful. While using phenylephrine nasal spray won't lead to addiction, you're at risk for becoming dependent on this medication if you use it for longer than 3 days in a row (rebound congestion). When this happens, phenylephrine nasal spray becomes less effective in relieving congestion and your congestion typically worsens. Talk with your healthcare team if you're concerned about rebound congestion.

Yes, using phenylephrine nasal spray for longer than 3 days in a row can cause rebound congestion. This is when your congestion comes back and is typically more difficult to treat. If you've used phenylephrine nasal spray for 3 days and it's still not gone, stop using the nasal spray and contact your primary care provider. They can talk with you about other options to help with congestion and also let you know if you need more medical attention.

No, phenylephrine nasal spray isn't an antihistamine; it's a decongestant. Antihistamine nasal sprays are used to lessen allergy symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, or itchy, watery eyes. But phenylephrine nasal spray is used to treat nasal and sinus congestion. If needed, you can use an antihistamine nasal spray with phenylephrine nasal spray. Just be sure to space out the timing of the doses by about 15 minutes to allow some time for your nose to absorb each medication.

Oral phenylephrine can raise your blood pressure. But phenylephrine nasal spray is unlikely to affect your blood pressure because very little, if any, medication would get absorbed into your body. An older study suggest that phenylephrine nasal spray isn't likely to raise blood pressure. Still, because there's a potential risk, ask your primary care provider if phenylephrine nasal spray is safe for you if you have a history of heart problems.