Viral Video Reveals the Right Way to Use Flonase, Because Apparently We're All Doing It Wrong

People who deal with sinus congestion or seasonal or environmental allergies may be familiar with the brand Flonase. The company's nasal spray is a popular one for those who need a little extra help when it comes to their sinuses, and the over the counter medication is pretty easy to use, making it a first choice for many.

Or, at least that's what we thought, because according to one woman, we've been using Flonase and other nasal sprays the wrong way this whole time.

Watch as a TikToker goes viral after sharing a video revealing the right way to use Flonase nasal spray after she got schooled by her doctor who told her she'd been administering the OTC medication incorrectly.

Don't worry, if you've been doing it wrong too, because you're not alone. Based on the video's comments it looks like we all desperately needed this explainer to teach us the correct way to use the spray. That said, make sure to consult with your physician before trying out any of these methods, since everyone is different.

Minds are being blown after TikToker amber.guttilla shared how her doctor told her she should be using Flonase nasal spray. Amber began the video by saying how she had been taken aback a little when her doctor asked her if she knew the right way to use the nasal spray after prescribing the OTC treatment.

Like most people, Amber believed the correct way was to stick the spray into her nostril as far as she could before simultaneously pressing down on the applicator and taking a deep breath.

But, according to Amber and her doctor, the only thing that method accomplishes is applying a layer of the spray directly to the back of your throat, instead of getting it into the sinuses where it belongs.

Instead, her doctor instructed her to first pull her cheek to the side, essentially manually opening her nasal passage from the outside. She illustrated the motion for her followers, showing them how easy it was to do, and telling folks to angle the tip of the spray towards the ear, rather than straight up the nostril.

Then, instead of taking a deep breath, she took a much smaller one, giving the spray a little more freedom to get where it needed to go.

If you're like Amber (and me), and you've been doing it the other way this whole time, you're not alone. It seems like the comments were full of people who were shocked by this news.

"[This] is so interesting because have I used a lot of nose spray including being prescribed it and have never been told this," one person wrote.

Then there were others who were already wise to this trick, who jumped into the comments to share the rhyming way they learned to be a little less hasty with the spray.

"My doc said if you taste it you waste it," one person wrote, before saying that their doctor had shown them the exact same method.

There may be a pretty good reason why this method is a surprise to a lot of people: It's not exactly the way Flonase tells us to use its product on the website. While the directions are clear that people should be aiming more towards the side of their face than the center, the directions don't mention manually opening your sinuses first, which means it may not be the best way to use it.

However, it does look like the company is pretty firm about not taking too big of a whiff of the stuff as you spray.

But, before you start copying the method in Amber's video, it's important to consider the directions given on the Allergy and Asthma Network website. While the site offers a broad description of the best way to use nasal sprays, the organization do make it clear that every spray is different, and some may have different instructions depending on the delivery method — for example, a pump versus a spray — so it's important to carefully read through the instructions before attempting Amber's method.

Additionally, it's worth noting that while Amber's doctor directed her to use her Flonase this way, it doesn't mean that it's the right method for everyone and for all nasal spray ingredients. If you have questions about your nasal spray, you should reach out to your doctor directly for more information.