Afrin

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Nasal decongestants can be considered a magic solution for people that suffer congestion. Most can be bought over the counter, (medicine sold directly to final customer without any medical prescription). Decongestants are medicines used for inflammation and swelling of the nasal tissues and blood vessels. There are several reasons why people use nasal decongestants like Afrin. The main one is because it works immediately, Alleviating the nasal congestion, just by the application of a couple of squirts into the nose.
The main component in Afrin is Oxymetazoline, which works inside the nasal passages as a Vasoconstrictor. “Vasoconstrictor drugs contract the smooth muscle in blood vessels, which causes the vessels to constrict” (Richard E. Klabunde, 2007). These contractions with the blood vessels reduce the blood flow in the nose.
The nose is related with the sense of smell and air conditioning. The important parts of the nose internally are Cilia, turbinate or nasal concha, and mucous membranes. Cilia are the microscopic hairs that line the respiratory tract and prevent any bacteria from getting inside the lungs. Nasal concha or turbinate refers to any spongy bones of the nasal passage, composed mostly of mucosal tissue responsible for filtration, humidification and heating of air. “The mucous membrane helps allow for easier transport of microorganisms out of the respiratory system, protecting the body by creating a barrier” (Biology Institute, 2010). Also it can act as a lubricant, and facilitates gas exchange and absorption. Under these conditions the nose can work normally.
A virus, allergy or sinusitis can make the nose work on abnormal conditions. The symptoms are excess of fluids, irritation, itching. As these symptoms becom...

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...heartbeat and also it can produce a chronic disease in the future.
This is a bad sign for health because it “dehydrates the nasal cavities, generating more mucus inside membranes” (Rutgers, 2010). The overuse of the nasal spray might cause addiction to it. Because of the same effects that the chemicals are producing inside the nose, the body starts to be dependent on the drug, which can cause the effectiveness to decrease.
As a recommendation, doctors should tell patients of the correct use of Afrin. When they are going to recommend this nasal spray, they have to alert what could be the future consequences for them. This is how the addiction begins. With this advice people will be more careful at the moment of using Afrin. Another option could be the replacement of Afrin by other nasal spray that have less chemicals, not with a fast effect but more healthy for people

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