Afrin
Generic Afrin is a 0.05% oxymetazoline nasal spray that clears a blocked nose and eases sinus pressure, sold in packs of 2, 4 or 6.
- Category
- Allergy Relief
- Active ingredient
- Oxymetazoline
- Route
- Nasal
- Form
- Nasal Spray
- Strengths
- 0.05%
You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Conditions
- Nasal congestion · Sinus pressure
- Therapeutic Class
- Nasal Decongestant
- Pharmacological Class
- Alpha-Adrenergic Agonist
- Minor Side Effects
- Nasal dryness, Sneezing
- Moderate Side Effects
- Temporary stinging, Rebound congestion with overuse
- Dosage Forms
- Nasal Spray
- Administration Route
- Nasal
- Originator
- Bayer
- Onset Time
- 5–10 minutes
- Duration
- 12 hours
- Storage Instructions
- Store at room temperature.
- Drug Interactions
- MAO inhibitors
- Age Restrictions
- Consult a doctor for children under 6.
What you will receive
Afrin is the originator brand name, made by Bayer. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Afrin.
- The same active ingredient (Oxymetazoline) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
Which generic Afrin strengths and pack sizes can I order?
Generic Afrin comes as a 0.05% nasal spray in packs of 2, 4 or 6. It is generic oxymetazoline, not the original Afrin. Larger packs cost less per spray.
How are generic Afrin sprays delivered to Hong Kong?
Generic Afrin sprays are sent in plain, unbranded packaging with nothing outside about the contents. Tracked courier takes 5 to 9 business days with online tracking. If your parcel does not arrive within the delivery window or arrives damaged, it is sent again free.
How long does one dose of Afrin last?
About 12 hours at most, which is why two doses a day is the ceiling rather than a suggestion. If the nose clears for only an hour or two and then blocks again, that is usually the rebound effect rather than ordinary congestion.
Can children use Afrin?
Afrin's 0.05% spray is for adults and children aged six and over, at two or three sprays per nostril up to twice a day. It is not intended for younger children.
What is the difference between Afrin and a saline nasal spray?
They do different jobs. Saline is salt water: it rinses and moistens the nose and can be used as often as you like without any rebound. Afrin contains oxymetazoline, which shrinks the swollen lining and clears a blocked nose more forcefully, at the price of the three-day limit.
Does Afrin raise blood pressure?
It can, a little. Oxymetazoline belongs to the decongestant family that narrows blood vessels, and enough of it is absorbed through the nose to nudge heart rate and blood pressure up in some people. Those with heart disease, high blood pressure or an overactive thyroid usually avoid it.
Does Afrin help sinus pressure?
It eases the pressure by shrinking the swollen lining around the sinus openings, which lets them drain. It does not clear an infection or calm an allergy, so the pressure can return once the spray wears off — another reason to keep it to short bursts.
About Afrin
A blocked nose, and what the spray does about it
Generic Afrin is a 0.05% oxymetazoline nasal spray. Oxymetazoline is a decongestant: it narrows the swollen blood vessels in the lining of the nose, which shrinks the tissue and lets air through. That helps the stuffy, pressure-heavy feeling that comes with a cold, hay fever or a sinus flare-up. It works on the symptom, not the cause, so the cold or allergy still has to run its course. One spray usually opens the nose within a few minutes and keeps it clearer for up to about 12 hours.
How to use it
Blow your nose gently first. Keep your head upright, put the nozzle just inside one nostril, and sniff as you spray — tilting your head back sends the mist down your throat, where it does nothing useful. Adults and children aged 6 and over: two or three sprays in each nostril, no more often than every 10 to 12 hours, and no more than two doses in a day. It is not for children under 6.
Three days, then stop
Spraying for longer than three days is what causes rebound congestion. The nose becomes used to the spray, swells again as each dose wears off, and feels more blocked than before — so you reach for the bottle again, and the cycle tightens. If congestion is still there after three days, a steroid nasal spray or a plain saline rinse is the usual next step.
Side effects
Most complaints are local: stinging or burning just after spraying, dryness, sneezing, a nosebleed now and then. Because some of the drug is absorbed, a few people get a headache, dizziness or a racing heartbeat. Swollen lips or tongue, or breathing that turns difficult after a spray, means an allergic reaction and needs urgent treatment. The spray is also not used by people with narrow-angle glaucoma (raised pressure inside the eye), and it doesn't mix with MAO inhibitor antidepressants or with other decongestants, which together can push blood pressure up.