#Pharmacist explains itBe careful, risk of addiction! Why you shouldn’t use nasal spray for more than a week
How well a drug works depends on many factors. Some have to be taken at certain times, others are taken on an empty stomach or after eating. However, use that is too long or short also increases the risk of unwanted side effects.
Medicines and nutritional supplements can only work if we take them correctly.
Combining different medications also poses risks. That is, if the effect weakens or increases as a result. We reveal what you need to pay attention to when taking aspirin, ibuprofen, etc.
Why should we always take aspirin after eating
Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) helps with pain and fever. This active ingredient, which is sold under the name aspirin, inhibits certain enzymes in the body. It is involved in the production of prostaglandins and thromboxane. “Prostaglandins play a role, among other things, in pain perception, fever regulation and inflammatory processes,” explains #Der Apotheker in his current book “From Aspirin to Zinc”, published by DuMont Verlag in November 2025. In contrast, thromboxane plays a central role in blood clotting because it promotes the clumping of blood platelets (platelet aggregation) and narrows blood vessels.
If the formation of these pain and inflammatory mediators is stopped with aspirin, the pain and fever will subside. In addition, blood flow properties improve. Our hearts don’t have to pump as hard, so taking aspirin regularly can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke.
Like everything else, there are also downsides: Acetylsalicylic acid also indirectly promotes the formation of stomach acid and inhibits the production of gastric mucus, thereby protecting the stomach lining from aggressive acids. As a result, stomach bleeding or the formation of stomach ulcers can occur. The risk increases the longer and the higher the dose we consume ASA.
To reduce the risk of side effects, healthy adults should not take more than three grams of aspirin per day. From the age of 65, a maximum of four tablets of 500 milligrams each should be taken daily. That’s equivalent to a maximum of two grams of aspirin per day. Tablets should ideally be taken at least four hours apart. #Pharmacists also recommend always taking aspirin after eating. “This reduces direct irritation to the stomach lining and makes it more tolerable,” the expert concludes.
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Why Ibuprofen 800 does not relieve pain faster than Ibuprofen 400
A painkiller that most of us probably have at home is ibuprofen. Like aspirin, this drug belongs to the group of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It is not only effective against pain, but also against fever and inflammation. We can choose between tablets with active ingredients of 200, 400, 600 and 800 milligrams. When the pain is very severe, many immediately take Mother 800, according to the motto: Helps a lot, a lot.
But this is wrong, #Pharmacists know. “Even though the risk of side effects increases, the pain-relieving effect does not increase when the dose is increased,” explains the expert. Ibuprofen has a ceiling effect. This means that the pain-relieving effect is limited to 400 milligrams. Doctors usually prescribe higher doses because it has a stronger anti-inflammatory effect. And added: “Two 400 milligram tablets are as effective against inflammation as one 800 milligram tablet.”
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Be careful, risk of addiction! Why we should not use nasal spray for more than a week
Nasal sprays have always been a friend of many people, especially in the fall and winter. If your nose and sinuses are blocked by a cold, a pump or two can often provide quick and long-lasting relief. The active ingredients xylometazoline, oxymetazoline, naphazoline and tramazoline contained in sprays or nasal drops are responsible for this. “All of them activate alpha-1 receptors, which causes the nasal mucosa to swell,” explains the expert. If we use the spray as recommended, vasoconstriction only occurs in the nasal mucosa. So they work locally and right where they are supposed to work. As a result, its use does not increase blood pressure.
However, we should not use nasal sprays and drops more than three times a day and no longer than a week. Otherwise, a so-called rebound effect may occur, the expert warns. This means that increased swelling of the nasal mucosa occurs as soon as the effect of the nasal spray wears off. This inevitably leads to continued use of nasal sprays, “so that one week can quickly turn into twenty years.” This effect is also called nasal spray addiction.
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Why boys should also get the HPV vaccination
The abbreviation HPV refers to the human papilloma virus. This is a group of more than 200 related viruses that can cause skin and mucous membrane infections. “These viruses are classified according to their risk: low-risk HPV can cause skin warts and genital warts,” says #Der Apotheker. Most infections occur without symptoms and often resolve on their own. “High-risk types can cause cervical cancer, but also other cancers such as anal, penile and throat cancer.”
HPV vaccination is an effective way to protect yourself from cancer caused by HPV. Various HPV vaccines are available in Germany. “The most commonly used one protects against nine types of HPV,” explains the expert. Since 2007, HPV vaccination has been recommended for girls aged nine to 14 years. Because HPV is transmitted through sexual intercourse and contact with skin and mucous membranes, vaccination should ideally be carried out before the first sexual contact. As a rule, two vaccinations are required at least five months apart.
Since 2018, HPV vaccination is also recommended for boys. Even though you cannot contract cervical cancer yourself, you can transmit the virus during sex. Vaccination also protects against other cancers such as penile and throat cancer. If vaccination is missed within the recommended time frame, vaccination can be carried out until the person’s 18th birthday. However, the vaccine is not effective against HPV infections that have already occurred.
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Why we shouldn’t take vitamin A supplements
Vitamin A fulfills many key functions in our bodies: Strengthens vision, promotes cell growth, and ensures the immune system functions. It is also important for healthy skin and mucous membranes, which in turn protect us from the penetration of pathogens.
Fat-soluble vitamins are mainly found in animal products such as liver, eggs, and dairy products. For example, beta-carotene is found in many plant foods such as carrots, apricots and sweet potatoes. Our body can produce vitamin A from this provitamin while consuming fat. Therefore, vitamin A deficiency is rare in Germany.
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Vitamin A overdose is much more common and dangerous. This vitamin is added to many dietary supplements such as multivitamin preparations. Overdose can cause headaches, nausea, and skin changes. In the event of a medium to long-term overdose, there is a risk of bone problems and liver damage. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) recommends that dietary supplements, if possible, contain no vitamin A or a maximum of 200 micrograms of vitamin A per daily dose.
In smokers, high intake of beta-carotene or vitamin A can increase the risk of lung cancer. If you want to be safe, it’s best to consume vitamins naturally through food.
Source used: #DerApotheker
