A runny nose can be called one of the common problems during pregnancy, especially if a woman is carrying a baby in winter or spring. To get rid of such an unpleasant disease, various medicines are used, including "Xylometazoline", but you should not rush to buy such a drug at the pharmacy and drip or spray it into the nose while waiting for the baby. According to a review of reviews, such a remedy is rarely prescribed during pregnancy, and the advisability of its use in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters should be assessed not by the woman herself, but by an experienced specialist.
Features of the drug
Xylometazoline is manufactured by many pharmaceutical companies, so additional words or abbreviations may appear in the name, for example, Xylometazoline-Betalek. All variants of the drug are a colorless or yellowish solution, the content of which in one bottle can be 10-25 ml.
You do not need a prescription to buy such a solution at a pharmacy. Depending on the packaging, the drug is presented with nasal drops or nasal spray.
Both forms contain a substance of the same name, xylometazoline hydrochloride, as an active ingredient. Depending on its amount, 0.05% and 0.1% drug is found in 1 ml of solution.
Operating principle
The active substance "Xylometazoline" is capable of stimulating alpha-type adrenergic receptors, which are located in large quantities in the nasal cavity. Such the effect leads to a reduction in the lumen of the small vessels of the nose, which reduces the swelling of the mucous membrane, reduces the amount of secretions and facilitates the examination of the nasal cavity.
The vasoconstrictor effect of the drug begins to manifest itself within a few minutes after it enters the nasal passages. In this case, the absorption of the medication occurs in a scanty amount. After its application, the congestion disappears, it becomes easier to breathe through the nose, the volume of secretions decreases, the hyperemia passes. The duration of the therapeutic effect is noted within 8-10 hours.
Is it allowed during pregnancy?
In the instructions for any of the types of "Xylometazoline" you can see information that the use of the drug while carrying a child is contraindicated. Such restrictions are associated with a vasoconstrictor effect, because it poses a potential threat to the fetus. Despite the fact that the solution acts mainly on the capillaries of the nasal cavity, there is no complete confidence in the absence of its effect on the placenta. And therefore manufacturers decided to mark pregnancy among the contraindications for the use of "Xylometazoline" at any time.
However, doctors are not so categorical about this medication. They agree that it is impossible to be treated with Xylometazoline in the 1st trimester, because at this time the most important processes take place in the tissues of the embryo, and any external influences can lead to malformations or miscarriage. But in 2-3 trimesters, specialists allow the use of a spray or drops, noting several essential details. Let's list them.
You can drip or spray Xylometazoline only after a medical examination. The specialist will not only decide whether such a medication is needed, but will also take into account the presence of contraindications, the list of which for vasoconstrictor drugs is quite large.
To reduce the possible harmful effect of the drug, the pregnant woman must strictly follow the scheme prescribed by the doctor. (usually the dosage is reduced and the duration of treatment is shortened). It is unacceptable to change the frequency of use or the duration of administration on your own.
When is it prescribed for expectant mothers?
Treatment with "Xylometazoline" is often resorted to in situations when medications that are more gentle and safe for the fetus do not help, or there is no possibility of purchasing and using them. Both drops and a spray are prescribed for a runny nose, provoked by a cold, an allergic reaction, ARVI and other reasons.
If the nose is "clogged" and the mucous membrane is swollen, it reduces the flow of oxygen to the lungs and, accordingly, to the fetus. With severe rhinitis, the doctor may decide that Xylometazoline will be less harmful than hypoxia, as a result of which he will prescribe the drug to the pregnant woman.
In addition to a runny nose, drops and spray can be prescribed for women with acute otitis media or sinusitis. With such indications, "Xylometazoline" is not the main, but an auxiliary treatment... By acting on the tissues of the middle ear or paranasal sinuses, the drug will reduce their swelling, which will speed up recovery and prevent serious complications.
Contraindications
The use of "Xylometazoline" is undesirable in many situations. For example, this remedy is prohibited in case of atrophic damage to the nasopharyngeal mucosa and hypersensitivity to any of the components of the solution. The drug is not prescribed for glaucoma, high blood pressure, tachycardia and thyroid hyperfunction. With diabetes mellitus, the use of drops or spray is possible only under the close supervision of a doctor.
Side effects
The drug may cause dryness or irritation of the mucous membrane. A mother-to-be may react to Xylometazoline with frequent sneezing, increased mucus production, or a burning sensation. Such negative phenomena often indicate too high dosage or excessively prolonged use of the solution.
In some women, after using "Xylometazoline", local edema develops, in which the medication is immediately canceled. If you exceed the single dose of medication prescribed by your doctor, general side effects may also appear, including heart palpitations, hypertension, problems with vision or sleep, vomiting, and others.
Instructions for use
Before you drip "Xylometazoline" into the nose or spray it with a spray, it is recommended to cleanse excess secretions. The drug is used up to 3 times a day (the exact number of applications is determined by the doctor), 1-3 drops or 1 injection of a spray into each of the nasal passages. How long to use the medication is determined individually.
Reviews
Expectant mothers who were prescribed "Xylometazoline" during pregnancy speak of it as an effective remedy. According to them, the medicine helped to quickly get rid of the edema, which restored the patency of the nasal passages. The preparation in the form of a spray is called more convenient to use. Among the minuses of the remedy, the development of addiction and the possible harmful effect on the fetus are noted.
Analogs
In pharmacies, you can find quite a few drugs that also contain xylometazoline and are used for acute rhinitis, inflammation of the middle ear or sinuses. Among them are "Rinostop", "Snoop", "Otrivin", "Xilen" and other means... They are presented as sprays and drops in two dosages. All of them should not be used while carrying a baby without a doctor's prescription. If the expectant mother has a runny nose, funds are more often prescribed, the risk of negative impact on the fetus is less. Let's consider a few examples of such tools.
"Aqua Maris"... A preparation that is harmless to the fetus and contains sea water. It cleans the nasal cavity and provides hydration to help cure rhinitis. The spray is prescribed at any stage of pregnancy.
Aqualor Extra Forte. The seawater in the composition of such a spray is hypertonic, in addition to moisturizing and purifying, it also helps to get rid of edema. An additional anti-inflammatory effect of the drug is provided by extracts of aloe and chamomile. The medication is used both in the late and early stages of gestation.
"Pinosol". Such drops are also allowed during the waiting period of the child and are very effective in chronic rhinitis. They affect the mucous membrane due to oils (eucalyptus and pine), thymol and tocopherol. In addition to drops, the drug is presented with a spray and nasal ointment.
