“In five days, you become addicted because, when you stop, there is a rebound effect of the blocked nose. Addiction is not like an addiction to a substance like drugs but it is an addiction to the sensation blocked nose”explains Charlotte d’Huart, general practitioner.
A vicious cycle begins and many people fall into the trap. Which is not without consequences. “The medicine can induce inflammation of the mucous membrane through use and induce rhinitis medicamentosa.explains Professor Philippe Rombaux, ENT at the Saint-Luc clinics. The drops may make it easier to breathe by reducing the diameter of the vessels of the mucosa, but they should not be taken by pregnant women, babies and the elderly because they can increase blood pressure and be accompanied by side effects. cardiovascular side effects.
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The alternatives
Sinutab, which is regularly taken when the nose is blocked, will no longer be delivered without a prescription. Testachats is calling for its withdrawal from the market because of the side effects considered too dangerous. So how can you treat a cold “safely”?
“We can use essential oils for prevention or as a complement. Since the dawn of time, man has treated himself with plants”indicates Pascale Frennet, aromatologist. “There is the good old method of wet inhalations with an oil or a mixture of oils with decongestant properties such as eucalyptus and peppermint.” A nasal spray composed of a mixture of mint, thyme and rosemary diluted to 50% in physiological serum can also help.
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“Essential oils should be handled with the greatest caution and certainly not without professional advice because this is overconcentration”insists Charlotte d’Huart. They are contraindicated for pregnant or breastfeeding women, for young children and sometimes for people with epilepsy.
A cold lasts between five and eight days. “You have to wait for the cold to pass. It cannot be cured. We take medications because of excessive marketing, but these are molecules that are not without their impacts,” reacts the general practitioner.
“You need to clean your nose well with a physiological serum. You can take a painkiller like paracetamol if you have a headache, eyes, ears or everywhere”recommends Professor Rombaux.
