Originally Posted by
jfsully
You will hear about oxymetazoline (Afrin) being "addictive," as mentioned by Rip. There is some dependence on oxymetazoline that develops, meaning that you may have some rebound congestion (temporarily) if you use it nightly for a month or so and then go without it. But if it helps nightly, and you have access to it, and want to use it nightly forever, that's not really a problem. Might be an issue if you are travelling or run out and suddenly don't have access to it, and you might have a rough night until you get to the pharmacy the next day. This is not addiction, as there is no tolerance or craving that develops, and people don't keep using it in spite of negative consequences, as far as I know. I have yet to hear of someone banging on the door of CVS after hours begging for just one more hit of Afrin.