Home / Brand A–Z
Read the label.
Most rebound-causing sprays don't say "addictive" on the front. Here's what's actually in the bottle — and which sprays can't cause rebound at all.
Sprays that cause rebound
Any topical decongestant — anything ending in -azoline, plus phenylephrine — can cause rebound after 3–5 days of use. The label often says "do not use for more than 3 days" in small print. Many people don't notice it.
| Brand | Active ingredient | Duration | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afrin | Oxymetazoline 0.05% | 12 hr | US |
| Sinex 12-hour | Oxymetazoline 0.05% | 12 hr | US/UK |
| Vicks Sinex | Oxymetazoline 0.05% | 12 hr | Global |
| Dristan | Oxymetazoline 0.05% | 12 hr | US/CA |
| Mucinex Sinus-Max | Oxymetazoline 0.05% | 12 hr | US |
| Zicam Intense Sinus | Oxymetazoline 0.05% | 12 hr | US |
| Otrivin / Otrivine | Xylometazoline 0.1% | 10 hr | UK/EU/CA |
| Olynth | Xylometazoline 0.1% | 10 hr | EU |
| Nasivin | Oxymetazoline 0.05% | 12 hr | EU/IN |
| Neo-Synephrine | Phenylephrine 0.25–1% | 3–4 hr | US/CA |
| Privine | Naphazoline 0.05% | 6 hr | US |
| Tyzine | Tetrahydrozoline 0.1% | 8 hr | US (Rx) |
Sprays that do not cause rebound
These are safe for daily long-term use under standard guidelines. They take days to work — they are not "rescue" sprays.
| Brand | Active ingredient | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Flonase | Fluticasone propionate | Intranasal steroid |
| Flonase Sensimist | Fluticasone furoate | Intranasal steroid |
| Nasonex | Mometasone furoate | Intranasal steroid |
| Rhinocort | Budesonide | Intranasal steroid · pregnancy-preferred |
| Nasacort | Triamcinolone | Intranasal steroid |
| Astelin / Astepro | Azelastine | Intranasal antihistamine |
| Dymista | Azelastine + fluticasone | Combo · Rx |
| NasalCrom | Cromolyn sodium | Mast-cell stabilizer |
| NeilMed / Simply Saline / Ocean | Sodium chloride | Saline rinse / spray |
| Atrovent (nasal) | Ipratropium bromide | Anticholinergic · Rx |
Watch for "12-hour" or "long-acting"
Any nasal spray marketed as "12-hour", "long-acting" or "maximum strength" is almost certainly an imidazoline decongestant — and almost certainly the source of rebound. The exceptions are intranasal steroids, which are once-daily by design.