By the way, doctor: How can I break my nasal spray addiction?

Q. The air in my apartment gets exceedingly dry during the winter. I started using a nasal decongestant containing oxymetazoline hydrochloride. Now I'm hooked. Even when it's not winter, I can't breathe at night without it. How can I break this addiction?

A. Your problem is more common than you might imagine. First we'll deal with helping you get off your nasal spray, and then with trying to prevent the same problem from recurring.

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