OTRIVINE EXTRA DUAL RELIEF

10ml, £7.99, boots.com CLAIM: A nasal spray which, claims the maker, helps unblock your nose six times faster than decongestant pills. It contains xylometazoline hydrochloride, which ‘has a decongestant effect’, and ipratropium bromide, which ‘reduces nasal mucus secretion’.

To use, hold one nostril closed and insert spray into the other. Tilt head slightly forward and squirt — inhaling at the same time. Repeat on the other side. EXPERT VERDICT: This has two active ingredients — ipratropium bromide, which relaxes the muscles that line the airways within the lung, therefore making it easier to breathe, and xylometazoline hydrochloride, a decongestant that shrinks the lining of the nose, also making breathing easier.

Both drugs have been shown to be effective in improving cold symptoms but taking decongestants for more than five days is not recommended because they can worsen swelling in the nose if taken for too long, potentially making symptoms worse in the long run.

8/10