What Is Allergic Rhinitis?
Hay fever or allergic rhinitis is caused when the body’s immune system overreacts to allergic air particles that you breathe in. This further leads to symptoms like sneezing & running nose when your immune system attacks these allergic particles. These particles or allergens can go ahead to cause various allergic reactions. People suffering with allergies may have to face health problems like sinusitis, ear infections etc.
What are the symptoms of allergic rhinitis?
If you are suffering from allergic rhinitis you are likely to show its symptoms within couple of minutes or in few hours after breathing in an allergen. Symptoms that will pop up immediately after you breathe in an allergen includes the following.
- Continues sneezing especially when you wake up in the morning.
- A running nose with coughing
- An allergic pinkeye that is itchy & watery
- Itching caused in nose, ear & throat
- There are few symptoms that takes a longer time to show. They are:
- Children commonly show symptoms of sniffing.
- Blocked nose
- Children tend to have a running nose.
- Increased sensitivity towards light
- Feeling tired or grumpy & shows mood swings
- Reduced sleep
- Symptoms of chronic cough
- Difficulty to hear
- Dark circles under eyes and patchiness on the face
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When symptoms may change?
Allergic rhinitis symptoms may get worst or better at different time & in different situations.
- In case you are allergic to substances like dust mites, animal dander and indoor mold these symptoms can get worst during winter.
- If you are allergic to pollens, the intensity of your symptom will vary depending on the plants that grow in your area and which season it is.
- Symptoms of asthma & sinusitis can get worst in pregnant women suffering from allergic rhinitis.
Which allergens commonly cause allergic rhinitis?
The most common allergens are pollens from trees, grasses, weeds, dust mites, animal dander, cockroaches & mold. At workplace people can get allergic to cereal grain, wood dust, chemicals etc.
For those who are allergic to pollens mostly face problems only at a particular time of the year while those allergic to dust mites & indoor allergens have to face these symptoms all the time.
How is allergic rhinitis diagnosed?
To detect your allergy, the doctor will study your symptoms, time when these symptoms are triggered, reason for these symptoms to trigger, what makes these symptoms worst or better will help him know if you have an allergy or some other problem.
If the doctors comes across some serious symptoms he will ask you to undergo few allergy test which will give him a clear idea about what you are allergic to.
The doctor will recommend you to undergo skin test or some lab test that will help him to identify the allergens you are allergic too.
How is it treated?
Allergic rhinitis has no cure, all that can be done is to avoid those substances that triggers these allergies. You need to maintain cleanliness in your home by getting rid of dust, animal dander, molds or you need to stay indoors.
If you are not an asthma patient you can take counter medicines to control your symptoms. It is highly recommended that children, older adults, especially pregnant women or mothers that are breastfeeding should consult a doctor before starting any medications on their own.
Allergic Rhinitis – What Increases Your Risk?
The most common way one may get allergic rhinitis or any other allergies is if:
- Your family has a history of allergic rhinitis. A child is likely to show symptoms of allergy if both parents have an allergy or if they both have the same type of allergy.
- Once you get exposed to dust mites, animal dander, molds, pollens or any other indoor allergens.
Allergic Rhinitis – When to Call a Doctor
You should immediately call your doctor if:
- You experience pain in your sinus area or any other sinus infections like yellow or green discharge from the nose or fever.
- Your allergy symptoms worsens up without knowing the exact reason.
- You are consuming medicines or over the counter medication that is not really helping you in any way.
- The medication you are on is causing problems like decreased coordination or increases drowsiness.
- You are suffering from fever or ear pain.
- You have persistent cough or cold that lasts for more than a week or two.
- You experience sever itching of the nose or eyes.
Allergic Rhinitis – Treatment Overview
Primary remedy for allergic rhinitis is to avoid allergens, controlling these symptoms with medicines, home remedies or in some cases opting to go for immunotherapy (called the allergy shots). The frequency of medication you need depends on how often you show up symptoms.
1) Avoid allergens
It is extremely important that you control the allergens that causes these symptoms. With this the frequency of your allergy symptoms will reduce and will remain under control even without any medication or with fewer medicines.
You need to keep your house clean to prevent dust, animal dander, molds or remain indoors.
2) Manage symptoms
Intake of the right medication & other home remedies will help you manage your allergy symptoms. Your doctor may prescribe you with stronger medications if needed or you could take an over the counter allergy medicine to relieve your symptoms.
- Think about immunotherapy
If medication is not helping you subside the effects of allergic rhinitis, you will be suggested to undergo immunotherapy. Immunotherapy includes taking medicine shots or pills that helps you prevent or reduce some of the allergy symptoms.
Know when surgery is or isn’t needed
In some cases allergic rhinitis needs to be fixed with surgery. Surgery is the final solution that needs to be taken only if all the treatments have failed.
Treatment for children
There is a similarity between the treatment that is prescribed for adults as well as children who have allergic rhinitis. It is more difficult to treat children with medicines as there could be some possible side effects also there are few medications that are not approved for children.
Allergic Rhinitis – Prevention
Answers to prevent allergic rhinitis are still unknown by experts. It is assumed that exposure to several allergens, second smoke, air pollutions can lead to irritation of the nose & throat which can go ahead to develop an allergy. You can make the symptoms of allergic rhinitis less severe with some easy remedies.
Allergic Rhinitis – Home Treatment
Allergic rhinitis is a long term health problem. You can control allergies with home treatment but it takes times and lots of efforts. But home treatment is one of the best solution for allergic rhinitis with minimum risk of side effects.
Avoid allergens
- You can reduce your allergy symptoms if you can avoid your contact with allergens or succeed in managing them without or fewer medicines.
- Controlling dust & dust mites by dusting regularly & by washing bed linens in hot water.
- Controlling animal dander & pet allergens by restricting pets in certain parts of your home.
- Cleaning bathtubs & showers to control indoor molds.
- Staying inside to avoid contact with pollens.
Manage symptoms
In case avoiding allergens does not help you control your allergy symptoms.
- Use salt water to clean your nasal passage of a stuffy nose.
- With the use of a humidifier in your house or by drinking lots of liquid or by avoiding tobacco smoke you can reduce or prevent sinus infections.
- You can relieve your symptoms of allergic rhinitis by taking over the counter allergy medicines.
Author’s Bio: Dr. Avni Deshmukh an expert medical consultant in Mumbai (India). Also writer for various blogs about symptoms, cure and treatment of Allergic Rhinitis, Bronchial Asthma, Cough etc. for adults and children.
Twitter ID: https://twitter.com/AvniDeshmukh
