The Benefits and Risks of Nasal Antihistamines

Nasal sprays are commonly used to treat sinus and allergy issues, and they generally fall into one of three categories.

The most commonly used nasal spray to treat nasal allergies is the intranasal steroid. It works over several days to decrease swelling of the nasal/sinus tissue and mucous production, but it must be used every day to really work. Examples of intranasal steroid sprays include: Flonase, Nasacort AQ, Qnasl and Nasonex.

Nasal antihistamines work in a different way to decrease swelling and mucous production. Symptomatic improvement can occur within about 30 minutes, and this class of medications can be used as needed in many cases. Examples include: Patanase and azelastine.

As much as nasal decongestants are a lifesaver during a cold, they can stir up many more problems if not used correctly.

The third class of nasal sprays are the over-the-counter nasal decongestants, like Afrin. These are a blessing and a curse for patients (and allergists!). They work very rapidly to decrease stuffiness, but if used more than three days in a row they have the potential to cause “rebound congestion.” When this happens the patient feels they need more and more of the spray to attain the same results and essentially become “addicted” to their nose spray. This happens only with the nasal decongestants, and we often have to use the nasal steroids (like Flonase) to get patients off these nasal decongestants. As much as nasal decongestants are a lifesaver during a cold, they can stir up many more problems if not used correctly.

Kids and adults alike are generally hesitant to use nasal sprays. Reasons for the hesitancy to use nasal sprays include: patients just don’t like spraying something up their nose, they are afraid of “rebound congestion,” they don’t like the way the spray tastes or smells, they dislike the spray dripping down the back of their throat, or they get nosebleeds. Although some patients are really unable to use nasal sprays, we can typically come up with something that works with minimal symptoms.

So as the fall allergy season starts, keep in mind that the right nasal spray can help make the season tolerable, but the wrong one can end up making it even more miserable!

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Mail-in Allergy Testing

By Dr. Nicholas Cline • May 27, 2026

If you spend any time browsing the internet or social media, you’ve likely seen advertisements for mail-in allergy kits. They promise to test for hundreds of food intolerances and environmental sensitivities using just a few strands of your hair or a quick saliva swab. It sounds incredibly convenient, painless, and comprehensive. But if it sounds like a gimmick, it probably is. While these mail-in tests are heavily marketed, they often lack scientific backing and can leave patients feeling more confused than comforted. The Science of Allergy Testing. What Are We Looking For? To understand why hair and saliva tests don't work, we have to look at how the immune system reacts to allergens. When you have a true allergy, your body produces a very specific type of antibody called IgE (Immunoglobulin E) . These antibodies bind to mast cells (allergy cells), which are on high alert to protect you from perceived invaders like pollen, dust mites, or specific food proteins. The fundamental flaw with mail-in hair and saliva kits comes down to basic biology: Wrong Locations: Mast cells and IgE antibodies are not traditionally found in your hair follicles or saliva. Unreliable Results: Because these testing methods are looking in the wrong place, they are highly unstandardized and unvalidated. You are highly likely to get a flood of false positives or false negatives that are impossible to interpret accurately. What the Experts Say: Major medical organizations strongly advise against these methods. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) explicitly recommends against using hair analysis for food allergy evaluations due to a lack of diagnostic value. Furthermore, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) and the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) have issued strong practice guidelines stating that hair analysis should not be used to evaluate food allergies. The Big Misconception: IgE vs. IgG Many mail-in companies charge anywhere from $150 to upwards of $600 for "sensitivity" panels. When patients produce these multi-page reports, the testing is almost always checking for IgG (Immunoglobulin G) antibodies, not IgE. There is a massive difference between the two: