When using nasal sprays, it is important to use the proper technique to avoid accidentally making your nose sore. 

First, you want to stand up straight, then bend at the hips to look down towards your feet. This is called the “nose-to-toes” position. Insert the nozzle into your nose about a centimeter and point it away from the center of your nose, towards your ears. You want to avoid touching the middle of your nose, which is very sensitive and can sometimes bleed. You also do not want to point straight up, which can irritate your nerves. Holding down one nostril, squeeze the bottle firmly and quickly into the other, sniffing up at the same time. Repeat for the other nostril. Stay in nose-to-toes and sniff up with tiny little sniffs (like a bunny!) for 10 seconds. 

When using nasal sprays, most allergists recommend using a nasal saline spray first to wash out allergens and moisten your nasal passages. Most saline nasal sprays mainly consist of salt and sterile water. You can then follow this with a medicated spray. For more information on nasal sprays, see our section on nasal allergies.