you need to see a doctor and probably need an antibiotic,” she said. “Taking too many, though, can have negative effects on the immune system.”
“With a virus,” Grayson added, “you just have to let it run its course.”
But a nasal decongestant like Afrin can help, she said. Grayson recommends using it at night and for no more than three or four days in a row. Use it longer and you run the risk of getting rebound congestion. “This starts a vicious cycle of becoming addicted to using the product,” she said.
Using saline irrigation or a neti pot can also help by washing out the nasal passages, Grayson said. For the first few days of infection, though, it’s ineffective because the nose is too swollen. Nasal steroids such as Flonase can help reduce inflammation, she said.
It’s also flu season. “Get vaccinated,” Grayson recommended. “Even if you do get the