Dristan is a nasal decongestant that promises to remove built-up fluid in your nose – whether it’s due to allergies, hay fever, or a bad cold. Read our review to find out if Dristan works.
What is Dristan?
Dristan is a nasal decongestant that comes in the form of a 12 hour nasal spray or a multi-symptom formula tablet. The 12 hour nasal spray is the most popular product. It’s sold on Amazon and through many conventional pharmacies.
Dristan promises to temporarily relieve nasal congestion caused by multiple conditions, including colds, hay fever, or other upper respiratory allergies.
The key active ingredient in Dristan is oxymetazoline HCL at a concentration of 0.05%.
How Does Dristan Work?
Dristan, according to WebMD.com, works by narrowing the blood vessels in the nose area, which reduces swelling and congestion.
WebMD.com reports that the medication is used for temporary relief of congestion in the nose caused by the common cold, sinusitis, hay fever, and allergies. They also claim that it may be used to relieve “plugged ears” or to reduce swelling in the nose before certain surgeries or procedures.
How to Use Dristan
Dristan is a nasal spray. That means you place the bottle up your nose and spray. You should gently blow your nose before using the drug. Before inserting the bottle into your nostril, use your finger to close your other nostril.
Keep your head upright, place the spray tip into the open nostril, and spray as you breathe in through your nose. You’ll want to sniff hard a few times to ensure the medication can spread deep into your nose.
After each spray, rinse the spray tip with hot water or a clean tissue. Replace the cap after each use.
It’s important to note that Dristan only claims to provide temporary relief. You should not exceed the recommended number of sprays, or use the sprays for longer than directed, as doing so may increase the risk of side effects. You should also not use the medication for longer than 3 days, as it could cause something called “rebound congestion”, which leads to long-term redness and swelling in the nose and increased symptoms of runny nose. If these problems have occurred with you, you may need to visit a doctor.
Dristan Pricing
Dristan is available online through Amazon.com and other retailers. You can also find it at local pharmacies. Here’s how Amazon’s pricing breaks down:
-Dristan Nasal Decongestant, 12-Hr Nasal Spray, .5 Oz: $7.68 + Free Shipping
-Dristan 12 Hour Nasal Spray 3 Pack: $18.42
Note: there are a number of different sellers advertising Dristan on Amazon, so your pricing may vary.
Dristan Ingredients
As mentioned above, the active ingredient in Dristan is a chemical compound called oxymetazoline hydrochloride (HCL) 0.05%.
Other ingredients in the formula include: Benzalkonium chloride, benzyl alcohol, dibasic sodium phosphate, edetate disodium, hypromellose, phosphoric acid, purified water and sodium chloride.
What do Customers Have to Say About Dristan?
Dristan is well-reviewed on Amazon.com, where it has an average rating of 4.4 stars out of 5, although only 25 reviews have been posted so far. Dristan is not a new product, as the first reviews date back to 2008. Here are some of the pros and cons we’ve noticed after reading through reviews on Amazon and other online sources:
Pros
- Best used as a spray, spraying twice in each nostril for maximum effect
- Does not make you drowsy (but is still very good at helping you fall asleep if you have a cold)
- Does a great job of clearing your nose in a short period of time
- Works even for severe allergies
- Works as well as other nasal sprays, but without the diminishing returns
- Works for chronic sinusitis
Cons
- Do not use for more than three days at a time, as the active ingredient is an addictive substance and can cause further congestion in your nasal passages when used longer than 3 days
- Can be tough to find in stores
Ultimately, Dristan appears to work as advertised to clear your nasal passages. The only bad thing to say about Dristan is that you can’t use it for more than 3 days at a time (the manufacturer specifically says this on the packaging).
If you use Dristan for more than 3 days, then you may have to ask your doctor for a prescription nasal spray to clear up your symptoms.
Dristan Review Summary
Most customers report that Dristan works as advertised to quickly relieve congestion in the nose. You spray it once or twice in each nostril, sniff hard, and the solution goes to work tightening your blood vessels and relieving congestion. Many people swear by Dristan as their go-to relief for sinusitis and other conditions.
If you’ve been unsatisfied with the results of other cold sprays in the past, then Dristan may be the right choice for you – just make sure you don’t use it for more than 3 days at a time to avoid any complications.
