Survey Reveals Why Some Stop Using Nasal Sprays

March 16 (iVillage Total Health) -- Have you ever used nasal allergy sprays only to have the medicine ooze out of your nose or drip down your throat? And did you stop using the sprays because of that? You are probably not alone.

A new study says that many people discontinue using prescription nasal sprays because of dissatisfaction with how the devices work. Researchers from the Allergy & Asthma Medical Group and Research Center in San Diego surveyed more than 1,500 people with allergic rhinitis (commonly known as hay fever).

The condition is marked by inflammation of the inner lining of the nose that occurs when an allergic person encounters an airborne allergen such as pollen, mold, dust mites or animal dander. Sneezing, coughing, runny nose, sore throat and itchy or watery eyes are the typical hay fever symptoms. Some estimates indicate that up to 20 percent of Americans have allergic rhinitis, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).

Nasal sprays are used to treat many allergy and cold symptoms, including runny nose, sneezing and congestion. The sprays are particularly effective because they deliver medication directly to the source of symptoms. They are also less likely than orally ingested medications to cause side effects in other areas of the body.

Antihistamines, corticosteroids, decongestants, anticholinergics and cromolyn sodium are among the medications that may be administered through nasal sprays, available either over-the-counter or by prescription.

When asked the primary reason for discontinuing use of nasal sprays, nearly two-thirds of survey participants (62 percent) said they did not like the medication running down their throats or out of their noses. Nearly half of respondents (44 percent) said the sprayers left a bitter taste in their mouths and more than a third (35 percent) said they stopped using the devices because the sprays failed to relieve their symptoms for 24 hours. Other reasons for discontinuing the sprays included uncertainty about the amount of medication provided in each squirt (32 percent) and confusion about when to refill the prescription (31 percent).

"This is important because nasal sprays, specifically intranasal corticosteroids, are considered by medical experts as first-line therapy when congestion is a major component of the patient's nasal allergy symptoms," Dr. Eli Meltzer, the study's lead author, said in a press release. "These results suggest compliance among nasal spray users could improve if new technology overcomes the key barriers to continued use identified by these patients."

Nearly half of the survey participants (47 percent) said what was most important to them was ease of use the nasal sprays, following by minimal side effects (46 percent), medication not running down the throat or out of the nose (43 percent) and avoidance of nose or throat irritation (43 percent).

Results of the survey were presented February 27 during the AAAAI's annual meeting in San Diego.

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