Medications for migraine relief are a complicated topic. They are not equally effective for everyone. For many, the side effects can be worse than the migraine itself. Clinicians are not equally trained in the ideal prescribing protocol, meaning some migraineurs miss out on effective migraine relief. For those lucky enough to have found an effective treatment combination, it is really important to take the medication as prescribed. That means taking the right dose, at the right time and IN THE RIGHT WAY.
Nasal sprays are effective delivery systems for certain migraine medication. They seem fool-proof, so many migraineurs don’t think twice before using it on themselves. Unfortunately, this leads to silly mistakes, which means ineffective medicine delivery. Here are the top ten most common mistakes made with Nasal Sprays. See how many you are guilty of; importantly, learn how to use sprays perfectly:
1 – You use it past the expiration date
One of the first things to do when you pick up any medication, is to look for its expiry date. It is very important not to use medicine which has expired. Any medication used past this date has no guarantee of being effective. The active chemicals inside the medication might have lost their potency, rendering the spray useless. Most importantly, old medicine always runs the risk of being contaminated with foreign, dangerous matter. Spraying a polluted liquid into your body can lead to infection. Stay safe. Use your medication only until the expiry date.
2 – You do not read the instruction sheet before using the spray
This is a common mistake made by millions of people every day. It is important for you to read the instruction sheet for any medication you receive, as it contains important information on the effective use of the provided medicine. Should you shake it first? Should you prime the spray? What is a safe dose? What if you spray too much? What medicines should I not combine with? All these important answers can be found in the instruction sheet. Make sure you read it.
3 – You do not ensure your nostril is clear
When inhaling the spray, your nasal passage needs to be clear. Inhaling into a blocked nose dampens the efficacy of the drug. Less of the spray is inhaled; what is inhaled is stuck in your nostril and not breathed into your lungs. So, make sure you clean your nose out before using a nasal spray
4 – You angle your head incorrectly
Some nasal sprays instruct you to tilt your head at a slight angle, either forwards or backwards. Taking this advice to the extreme, i.e making exaggerated movements with your head, can limit the efficacy of the nasal spray. Alternatively, not tilting your head at all can also cause the same problem. It is important to follow the instructions exactly. If you are confused about what exactly you should do, ask your Doctor.
5 – You do not aim the spray nozzle at the right angle
Another simple mistake which is more common than you would think. When using the nasal spray, check to make sure the nozzle is centred into your nose. When spraying, try aiming it up and a little out, towards the front of the nose. This will help maximise the intake of spray medicine.
6 – You keep both nostrils open
After repetitive medication usage, many migraineurs fall into the habit of taking shortcuts with their nasal spray. It is important to close one nostril as you spray into the other. This prevents the liquid from entering one nostril and leaving the other. Allowing half your dose to leave your body without getting absorbed limits the efficacy of the drug. It also gives your body inconsistent doses, which will cause long term problems with migraine management.
7 – You snort the medicine instead of inhaling
A strange habit picked up from watching other people use nasal sprays incorrectly. Snorting means taking a short, sharp, strong inhalation. The issue with snorting is that it may not go through to the lungs. You may end up swallowing a lot of the spray. Nasal sprays contain liquid, which when released, enters the nasal cavity as a fine mist. It is supposed to be breathed in gently and deeply.
8 – You hold your breath completely
A mistake much more common than admitted, holding your breath when using Nasal Spray is a big no no. You want the medication to reach the lungs, with nice gentle deep breaths. Holding your breath means the mist will just stay in the nasal cavity, where the majority of it will sit, until it is either blown out, or swallowed with mucus. This will lead to very inconsistent dosing and should be avoided.
9 – You blow your nose after inhaling
Evacuating the contents of the nasal passage as soon as you have inhaled spray medication is very counter-productive. You should give the spray time to be absorbed into the body. If you blow your nose each time after inhalation, you are losing a significant percentage of the medicine to your tissue. This limits the ability of the nasal spray to work effectively at managing your migraines. It also adds confusion to your doctor’s life, who may think the medication in ineffective for you, or that you need a stronger dose.
10 – You do not keep the spray nozzle clean.
This is an easily overlooked mistake when using your nasal spray. Nasal sprays are meant to be used multiple times, until the liquid medicine runs out. This means you will repeatedly be placing the nozzle into your nose. It is very easy for bacteria to move between the nozzle and the nasal passage. In the right circumstances, micro-organisms will flourish in the nozzle, and when you place it into your nose for your next spritz, a large colony of bacteria will squirt up into your nose along with the medicine. This is why it is so important to keep your nasal spray clean. It is better to be safe than sorry.