“Why does my husband have a runny nose all year long?”

It's time he sees an otolaryngologist. This could be an inhalant allergy, but your mention of a nasal spray makes he concerned that he could have become addicted to over the counter sprays such as oxymetazoline (Afrin). He may also have vasomotor rhinitis, but this is dominated by runniness more so than congestion. Other environmental factors may be at play as well.

Hello,

There can be so many reasons for this issue depending on other history, age of patient, prior sinus infections, etc. He should see an ENT Specialist for a thorough exam in the office, which may include endoscopy in office to obtain CAT scans after trial of medical therapy.

Dr. D

The possibilities are numerous and you will need a doctor's visit with a real diagnosis to sort them out. The differential diagnosis depends upon age, anatomy, environmental exposure, other medical conditions, and any medication usage. The first thought would be allergy. If the symptoms are mostly at night in bed, think about a dust mite allergy and eliminate all down pillows and comforters and try hypo-allergenic bedding. If he is using decongestant nasal sprays frequently, it is likely that he has developed a tolerance and the drainage is a rebound phenomenon; he needs to stop them and see if that helps. Over-the-counter drugs such as antihistamines or steroid nasal sprays could be very helpful and should be tried for a while to see if they help.  

Should investigate for sinusitis or allergies

This is usually indicative of chronic sinusitis and upper airway allergy. The first thing to do is try to remove all potential allergens from your bedroom, use an air purifier, then he should be allergy tested and examined for chronic sinus blockage.

Probable allergies. Try Florase and Zyrtec. Get HEPA filters. If persists, see ENT.