Frequently Asked Questions

ASTELIN is an antihistamine nasal spray, available by prescription only. It provides relief of bothersome symptoms such as sneezing, sniffling, congestion, itchy/runny nose, and/or postnasal drip due to seasonal allergens or environmental irritants. ASTELIN is a steroid-free antihistamine.

Yes. The benefit of using medicine in a nasal spray is that it is delivered immediately to the area where it is needed most — inside the nose. Antihistamine pills (both over-the-counter and prescription) take time to make their way through the body to the nasal area.

No. Unlike many other prescription nasal sprays, ASTELIN is steroid-free.

Yes. Histamine is the primary cause of allergy symptoms such as congestion, runny nose, postnasal drip, itchy eyes/nose, and sneezing. ASTELIN relieves your symptoms by blocking the effects of histamine.

ASTELIN is the only prescription antihistamine that is approved to treat nasal symptoms including congestion.

No. Some other antihistamines are used in combination with a decongestant such as pseudoephedrine, which can cause restlessness and sleep difficulties.

Pseudoephedrine should not be used if you have certain conditions such as diabetes, enlarged prostate, heart or blood vessel disease, high blood pressure, or overactive thyroid.

ASTELIN relieves your symptoms by blocking the effects of histamine. Histamine is the primary cause of allergy symptoms such as congestion, runny nose, postnasal drip, itchy eyes/nose, and sneezing.

Seasonal allergens provoke symptoms by activating the body's immune system. The immune system produces antibodies (proteins in the blood intended to protect the body from invaders) that cause the release of histamine from specialized cells called mast cells.

What makes ASTELIN unique is that it is a steroid-free antihistamine nasal spray that provides symptom relief whether the trigger is an allergen (grass, trees, pollen, mold, etc.), an irritant (cigarette smoke, perfume, cleaning agents, car exhaust, cold air, etc.), or both.

By the way, many people with seasonal allergies are sensitive to both allergens and irritants, and don't necessarily know it. Other prescription antihistamines haven't been approved to help you cope with the symptoms that come from sensitivity to irritants. This may explain why surveys show that some people are dissatisfied with their current treatments.

Deciding to take ASTELIN is a decision you and your doctor should make together. Your doctor will show you just how easy ASTELIN is to take — clear your nostrils by gently blowing your nose, tilt your head forward, breathe out, and close one nostril with your finger, hold the spray bottle vertically, and aim toward the back of the nose while gently sniffing.

Most common side effects may include bitter taste, headache, nasal inflammation or burning, and drowsiness.

No. Rebound congestion is chronic nasal stuffiness that results from the overuse of nasal decongestants that contain a medicine called a topical vasoconstrictor. Rebound congestion can occur if you use a nasal decongestant for more than three days in a row. ASTELIN does not contain a topical vasoconstrictor, and therefore does not cause rebound congestion.

ASTELIN can be used by patients as young as 5 years of age, depending on what type of rhinitis they have been diagnosed with.

For those with seasonal allergic rhinitis, patients from 5 to 11 years of age should administer 1 spray in each nostril twice daily.

Patients 12 years of age and older with seasonal allergic rhinitis should administer 2 sprays of ASTELIN in each nostril twice daily.

For those with nonallergic vasomotor rhinitis, patients 12 years of age and older should administer 2 sprays of ASTELIN in each nostril twice daily.