Decongestants help to unblock a stuffy or blocked nose or congested sinuses. They work by narrowing blood vessels in your nose, throat and sinuses. Decongestants are available as nasal sprays and drops or as tablets and capsules.
Nasal decongestants (nasal sprays or drops)
Nasal decongestants are sprayed or dropped into your nose. They're used for the short-term relief of stuffiness or congestion of your nostrils that may be caused by the common cold, sinusitis, allergies or hay fever. Common examples of nasal decongestants include oxymetazoline (Sudafed® nasal spray) and xylometazoline (Otrivin® nasal spray).
- Nasal decongestants clear a blocked nose almost immediately.
- They must be used for a short time only, usually only for 3 days (check the product packaging). If you use them for longer, they can cause rebound congestion of your nose and a painful or bleeding nose.
NOTE: Other examples of nasal products that can ease congestion are saline nasal sprays or drops and ipratropium nasal spray. Read more about how to use nose drops and sprays.
Decongestant tablets and capsules
Phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine are the decongestants commonly found in tablets and capsules.
- They may be used alone or in combination with other ingredients in cold, flu, cough or sinus relief medicines.
- Decongestant tablets and capsules can cause increased blood pressure and heart rate, anxiety, restlessness and sleep problems (insomnia). They are best used for a short time (a few days). Using them for longer than this could cause side effects.
- Examples of decongestant tablets and capsules include Codral Cold and Flu®, Codral Day and Night®, Maxiclear Sinus Relief®, Sudafed PE®, Sudafed Sinus and Nasal Decongestant®, Maxiclear Cold and Nasal Relief® and Lemsip Max Cold and Flu®.
