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Beconase
Beconase is a prescription drug that is licensed to treat allergic and non-allergic rhinitis. It can also be used to prevent nasal polyps from returning after surgical removal. The medicine comes in the form of a nasal spray and is generally used twice a day to control symptoms. While most people tolerate it well, potential side effects include occasional sneezing attacks and nose or throat irritation.
Beconase® AQ (beclomethasone nasal spray) is a prescription medication approved for the following uses:
- Treating sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, and nasal itching due to allergies (known medically as allergic rhinitis), including seasonal and year-round allergies
- Treating similar nasal symptoms caused by irritants, rather than allergies (known medically as non-allergic rhinitis)
- Preventing the return of nasal polyps after surgical removal.
(Click Beconase Uses for more information, including possible off-label uses.)
Beconase AQ is made by GlaxoSmithKline.
Allergies occur when the body's immune system reacts to a normally harmless substance -- one that does not bother most people. These immune system reactions are known as inflammations and involve several different types of cells and chemicals in the body.
Beconase is a corticosteroid, or simply "steroid" for short. Steroids can have many different effects in the body, including anti-inflammatory effects. They decrease inflammation by limiting the body's ability to produce an immune system reaction. Steroids can be effective for treating conditions such as allergies.
However, long-term use can cause bothersome and sometimes serious side effects, and this limits the usefulness of many steroids. Because Beconase is a nasal spray, its effects are generally limited to the nose. This helps prevent many of the long-term side effects of steroids.
It is not known exactly how Beconase works for non-allergic rhinitis.
Many cases of nasal polyps are related to chronic inflammation caused by nasal allergies. Beconase AQ works to treat nasal polyps by decreasing inflammation.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD