Afrin and Burning: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• March 2, 2012

For Nasal Congestion "I get recurrent sinus infections, and oral medications make me too jittery. This nasal spray, within a few minutes, has me breathing through my nose again and helps relieve the pressure in my sinuses. My only complaint is the horrible burning and stinging felt when sprayed. It's worth it though."

• jGa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 8, 2018

For Nasal Congestion "Never, never take this medication. I repeat, never. This medication put me in a worse position than I was before. I decided to take this because all of the pills weren’t working, but it does not help. Afrin says to put 2 squirts in each nostril every 10-12 hours. However, when doing that, it creates a horrible burning sensation in your nose and specifically your throat that lasts for hours. If you want to be congested and burning for hours, take this."

• JRB...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 9, 2021

For Nasal Congestion "To be honest, I would rather have just had a stuffy nose. Used Afrin for a cold because my nose was extremely congested, and I wanted it clear so I could sleep. To the medicine’s credit… it did clear my nose. But the side effects aren’t a worthwhile trade-off. I had a headache for the entire day afterward, and my nose burned like fire. At first, it was just an annoying burning, then it turned into a sharp nerve pain in my left nostril after about 18 hours. I also sneezed so many times I lost count. Feeling a bit better now by the second day. Many people have complained about the cap on the bottle being hard to open, and I had a bit of trouble with it as well, however, it’s a minor complaint compared to the actual effectiveness of the medicine. Keep in mind, this was just my personal experience, and everyone’s different, of course. But beware of the side effects and decide if it’s worth it for you."

• Jea...
• January 21, 2016

For Nasal Congestion "My new doctor recommended I use Afrin for my sinus congestion. The first time, my nose and my throat burned and stung. Now my throat is sore, and I lost my voice. It made my illness worse. I was better off using saline."

• Unh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 30, 2021

For Nasal Congestion "I would not wish Afrin upon my worst enemy. My nasal cavity burns horribly, and my throat is sore and stingy. I’ve tried saline spray, gargling water, blowing my nose, and taking Advil with no avail. I was at one point on the verge of tears."