Nonsedating combinations are available by prescription only and provide treatment of all allergy symptoms, including congestion. Because they are applied directly to the affected site, they relieve nasal congestion rapidly and can quickly open clogged nasal passages. Nasal decongestant sprays are effective, but they should not be used for more than 3 days. Don't confuse corticosteroids with the dangerous, athletic performance-enhancing anabolic steroids you may have heard about in the media. They are not the same thing.
Anabolic steroids have many dangerous side effects that corticosteroids lack.
Anabolic steroids, which have received much negative publicity, can be used by athletes to increase muscle mass and improve performance. They are related to testosterone, the male sex hormone, and can result in serious side effects such as hepatitis, liver tumors, hardening of the arteries, and heart disease. Corticosteroids, on the other hand, are used to treat a wide variety of diseases, such as allergies, asthma, skin disorders and arthritis. Anabolic steroids, because of their serious side effects and because they give the user an unfair physical advantage over competitors, are banned in the Olympics and collegiate sports in the United States. Immunotherapy, or allergy injection therapy, does just that by teaching your body to change its response to allergens, ultimately resulting in a reduction in annoying allergic responses.