Several million people in Britain could be at risk of becoming “addicted” to using decongestant nasal sprays, research by ITV News and Ipsos suggests.
Overusing decongestant nasal spray can lead some people to developing to a condition known as rebound congestion, a cycle of worsening nasal stuffiness.
Sufferers can then develop a dependence on the spray, as they repeatedly attempt to relieve congestion with more of the product.
The condition is only caused by nasal sprays containing xylometzoline and oxymetazoline – not steroid nasal sprays, or those containing salt water.
The NHS and the product manufacturers themselves warn that these types of nasal spray should not be used for longer than seven days – and that continuous use for longer than this can lead to rebound congestion.
Our survey suggests more than a fifth of adults who have used the products have done so for longer than seven days.
This means an estimated 5.5 million people in the UK could have risked developing a dependency.
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