Thanks to the active work of drug manufacturers and pharmacological companies, today you can purchase a wide variety of drugs for the treatment of many diseases. Despite this, doctors still try to invent a bicycle by prescribing eye drops for nasal use. Is this recommendation justified? Is such therapy really effective? Today you can find out how and why levomycetin drops are instilled into the nose.
A few words about the drug: description and composition
When and why to use chloramphenicol drops in the nose, you will learn further. Before this, you should get to know the medication better. The product is available in the form of drops of 5-10 milliliters in a bottle. The medicine may have a pipette or dispenser sold in glass containers with a wide neck. The active substance of the drug is chloramphenicol. Its amount is 2.5 mg in every milliliter.
The medication refers to antibiotics with a wide spectrum of action on eye diseases. The medicine effectively fights large viruses, known bacteria, gram-positive microorganisms. Drops destroy even those cocci for which penicillins, streptomycin and sulfanilamides are powerless. The tool treats many bacterial lesions of the organs of vision.
Why do doctors prescribe the nasal use of the drug?
Doctors prescribe levomycetin drops in the nose quite often. They explain this recommendation by the fact that on the pharmacological market there are very few nasal drugs that act bactericidal. Three popular antibiotics are known: Isofra, Polydex, and Bioparox. The latter, in turn, became banned. For several years it can not be found on sale. Polydex contains phenylephrine, which is not always needed in the treatment of the common cold. Therefore, cheap levomycitin drops became an alternative to the expensive Isofra.
In the nose, this drug is prescribed for bacterial rhinitis. It is believed that viral or catarrhal snot lasts no more than a week. If abundant mucus persists longer, then doctors suggest a bacterial infection. It is customary to call "Levomycetin" a good antiseptic that acts bacteriostatically. Therefore, with nasal use, it is expected that the medicine will quickly and effectively eliminate the manifestations of rhinitis. Typically, the drug is prescribed 1-2 drops in each nostril 2-4 times a day. The duration of use is set individually, but it should not be less than 5 days.
Contraindications
Before dripping chloramphenicol drops in the nose of a child or adult, do not forget to learn about precautions. The instructions for use do not say anything about a similar way of using the medicine, since this is not intended by the manufacturer. Therefore, all important information should be clarified by the prescribing doctor. The drug is not used nasal and in other ways under the following conditions:
- if the patient has intolerance to the active substance or was previously allergic to Levomycetin;
- if necessary, therapy in pregnant or lactating women, as well as newborn children;
- when there are blood diseases or skin lesions (fungal, allergic).
Levomycetin drops should not be instilled into the nose yourself. And if therapy is prescribed by a doctor, it is recommended to consult with other specialists. Let's figure out why.
The effectiveness of the drug in the treatment of the common cold
The instruction does not suggest the use of levomycetin drops in the nose. The fact is that the medication used in this way can be considered ineffective. One should not expect something grand from such a treatment, relying on antibacterial activity. All that a drug used in this way can do is enhance the effect of other drugs or dry the mucous membrane.
- The antibiotic Chloramphenicol, administered nasally, will only treat a small portion of the mucosa. At the same time, bacteria will remain on other walls of the nose and continue their reproduction.
- The microflora of the eyes and nose is very different. Therefore, what is effective for the organs of vision, is useless with nasal administration.
- With transparent snot caused by viruses or allergies, the medication will not help. The drug will only aggravate the course of the pathology, as it will dry the nasal mucosa.
Why is it sometimes effective?
Nevertheless, in some cases, the prescribed levomycetin drops in the nose kill the pathogenic flora. Practice shows that a positive result can be expected only under the following conditions:
- a runny nose is caused by bacteria sensitive to a given active substance (this fact is established by bacteriological culture);
- the drug is used for prolonged runny nose, and the mucus secreted has a yellowish-green color;
- the medication is applied to the mucous surface by spraying or introducing turund, but not drip;
- in addition to antibiotic therapy, the main treatment is prescribed (oral antibiotics, sinus lavage).
Consumer Reviews
Do levomycetin nasal drops help? Patient reviews speak of the drug in a positive tone. They say that the medicine has an affordable cost. You can buy a bottle of 10 ml for just 20 rubles. So why not try this remedy? Perhaps it will help?
Relying on the feedback of other consumers, patients buy the medication on their own and begin treatment. They say that after 2-3 days there was a noticeable improvement. The medicine really reduced the amount of mucus secreted (drying effect). And a few days later came a complete recovery. Most of the consumers who tried the medication were satisfied with it.
Opinion Komarovsky
What do experienced professionals think about this? EO Komarovsky (a well-known pediatrician) says that dropping levomycetin (eye) drops into the nose is at least silly. Treatment of bacterial infections should be carried out by oral administration of drugs or their injection. If the nose is treated with an antibiotic, then the pathogenic flora will not be completely destroyed. In addition, drops contain very little active substance to cure a bacterial rhinitis.
As a result of such therapy, the resistance of microorganisms will occur. In the future, resistant bacteria will become stronger and will be able to withstand even oral antibiotic use. Dr. Komarovsky categorically does not welcome the local use of antibiotics. He recommends contacting another specialist if your doctor prescribes such therapy.
To summarize
It is generally accepted that levomycetin drops introduced into the nose help to quickly get rid of rhinitis. The medication really helps some consumers. This is evidenced by positive reviews. But still, you should not rely on them. Listen better to the experience and opinion of professionals.
Do not forget that the drug has adverse reactions. The most common is allergies. Also, patients complain of burning and itching in the nose after applying the drug. With a prolonged runny nose, do not self-medicate, go to the doctors and ask them all exciting questions. Good health!