Administering Nose Drops and Nasal Sprays

Before using nose drops or nasal sprays, gently blow your nose if you can. To administer nose drops, fill the dropper, tilt your head back, and place the prescribed number of drops into your nose. To prevent contamination of the rest of the medicine, do not touch the dropper to the nasal membranes. Keep your head tilted for five to ten seconds, and sniff gently two or three times.

When using a nasal spray, do not tilt your head back. Insert the sprayer into the nose, but try to avoid touching the inner nasal membranes. Sniff and squeeze the sprayer at the same time, according to the product directions. Do not release your grip on the sprayer until you have withdrawn it from your nose (to prevent nasal mucus and bacteria from entering the plastic bottle and contaminating its contents). After you have sprayed the prescribed number of times in one or both of your nostrils, gently sniff two or three times.

Unless your doctor has told you otherwise, you should not use nose drops or nasal sprays for more than two or three days at a time. If they have been prescribed for a longer period, do not administer nose drops or sprays from the same container for more than one week. Bacteria from your nose can easily enter the container and contaminate the solution. If you must take drops or spray for more than a week, purchase a new container. Never allow anyone else to use your nose drops or spray.

Some other types of medication must be administered as a rectal suppository. The next section will review how to properly handle the suppository, especially if it is too soft or if it is painful to insert.