Editorial Standards & Medical Reviewers

Our mission

Rebound.org exists because rhinitis medicamentosa is one of the most under-served conditions in primary care. Millions of people are caught in the Afrin cycle for years — sometimes decades — without ever being told that a structured quit protocol exists, that it works, and that their nose will heal.

We are not a supplement company. We are not funded by pharmaceutical brands. We have no clinic to refer you to. Our only goal is to give you the same evidence-based information a well-read ENT would give you in a 30-minute office visit — for free.

What this site is and isn't

It is: an educational resource based on peer-reviewed research and clinical guidelines, reviewed by licensed physicians.
It is not: a substitute for a diagnosis or a treatment plan from your own doctor. If you are unsure whether you have rhinitis medicamentosa, see a physician.

How we write

Every article on Rebound.org is researched and written to meet the following standards:

Primary sources first. We prefer peer-reviewed studies published in indexed medical journals (PubMed, Cochrane, NEJM, JACI, Am J Respir Crit Care Med) over secondary sources. When we cite a guideline — Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, NHS, AAAAI — we verify it traces back to primary literature.
No claim without a citation. Any statement about mechanism, efficacy, or risk is tied to at least one source. Citations appear on the Sources & citations page and are linked inline where practical.
Plain language, not dumbed down. We use clinical terms (rhinitis medicamentosa, tachyphylaxis, oxymetazoline) and explain them. We do not oversimplify the science to the point of being misleading.
Uncertainty acknowledged. When the evidence is mixed, limited, or animal-only, we say so. We do not present consensus where there isn't one.
No affiliate links. If we mention a product by name (Afrin, Flonase, Otrivin), it is because it's clinically relevant — not because we earn a commission on it.

Medical review process

Before any article is published, it goes through a two-stage review:

Editorial review. A writer checks every citation against the original source, verifies that claims are within the scope of the cited study, and flags any statements that extend beyond the evidence.
Physician review. A licensed physician — typically an otolaryngologist (ENT) or allergist — reads the final draft and approves clinical accuracy. Reviewers may request corrections, clarifications, or the removal of unsupported claims before sign-off.

Articles carry a "Medically reviewed" label only after both stages are complete. The reviewing physician's name and specialty appear on each article and on the Medical reviewers section of this page.

"The standard we hold ourselves to: could a cautious, evidence-minded ENT hand this page to a patient without being embarrassed?"Rebound.org editorial policy

Update policy

Medicine moves. We review every article on this site on the following schedule:

Article type	Review frequency
Mechanism & science	Every 12 months, or when a major new study publishes
Clinical protocols (quit playbook, timeline)	Every 6 months, or when guidelines update
Drug & brand pages	On formulation change or new safety data
FAQ	Quarterly, based on reader questions

The "Updated" date in the utility bar at the top of every page reflects the most recent substantive review — not a minor copy edit. If you notice an outdated fact, use the corrections process below.

Independence & funding

Rebound.org is independently operated. We have no financial relationship with any pharmaceutical company, medical device manufacturer, or healthcare system. Specifically:

We accept no advertising — display ads, sponsored posts, or "content partnerships."
We have no affiliate program. We earn nothing if you buy a product we mention.
We accept no grants from industry. Our reviewers are paid at standard consulting rates from operating funds, not tied to any content outcome.
Our medical reviewers have no obligation to approve content. They can and do request changes or refuse sign-off.

The site is funded by optional reader donations. If it has helped you, consider supporting it.

A note on "not medical advice"

The disclaimer at the bottom of every page is real, not legal boilerplate. Rhinitis medicamentosa presents differently in different people — severity, duration, co-existing conditions, and medications all matter. The protocols on this site are evidence-based starting points, not prescriptions. If you have a complicated history or have failed self-quit attempts, see an ENT.

Corrections

We take accuracy seriously and we make mistakes. If you find a factual error — a miscited study, an outdated drug dose, a claim that overstates the evidence — please tell us.

Email corrections@reboundcongestion.org with the page URL, the specific claim, and (if you have it) a source that contradicts it. We will investigate within 5 business days and update the article if warranted. Corrections are noted in the article's revision history.

We do not remove accurate content because a reader disagrees with it or because it reflects poorly on a product.

Medical reviewers

The following physicians have reviewed content on this site. Each reviewer's name, specialty, and affiliation appear on the articles they approved.

Reviewer name, MD

Otolaryngologist (ENT) · Affiliation

Board-certified otolaryngologist with clinical focus on rhinology and nasal airway disorders. Reviewed: The Science, The Quit Playbook, Day-by-Day Timeline.