Are you using nasal spray the right way?

Constant sneezing? Stuffy nose? If seasonal allergies flare up more than twice a week, Mayo Clinic experts recommend trying a corticosteroid nasal spray.

Nasal spray can be a safe, long-term treatment for allergies. And it's easy to find — fluticasone (Flonase Allergy Relief) and triamcinolone (Nasacort Allergy 24 Hour) are both available without a prescription. But if you use your spray incorrectly, you may get less allergy relief.

Here are a few tricks to get on the fast track to breathing easy.

• Plan ahead. Nasal sprays take a few weeks of regular use to work best. If you know ragweed season starts in mid-August, start using the spray at the beginning of the month.
• Blow first. Clear your nostrils before spraying.
• Aim at an angle. Put the tip of the bottle into your nostril, aiming it toward the ear. If you spray the middle of your nose, you can irritate or damage your septum.
• Sniff and spray. Spray into the nostril while you take a gentle sniff in.
• Clean up. Wipe the tip of the bottle after each use.
• Find what works for you. If you don't like the way nasal spray feels, try an aerosol option.