Allergic rhinitis is not usually a serious medical condition, but persistent symptoms can affect work productivity, school performance, sleep, and overall quality of life. Understanding the different types of allergic rhinitis and their treatment options helps manage symptoms effectively and reduce the frequency of flare-ups. Let’s explore and discover the types and the right medical interventions for allergic rhinitis.

Introduction

Whether it’s at home, at work, hanging out, or travelling, we have to face dust and other airborne allergens. Staying at home or interacting with pets can make us more prone to other allergies because pets shed dander. This airborne allergen may put us in a clinical situation often known as rhinitis. It is a common condition that causes irritation and inflammation of the mucous membrane inside the nose and may sometimes lead to a stuffy nose, runny nose, and post-nasal drip.

Basically, rhinitis can be classified into two common types, allergic and non-allergic. But the most common kind of rhinitis is allergic rhinitis, which is usually caused by airborne allergens like pollen (tree, grass, and weed), dust, flakes, and dander from certain animals. However, non-allergic rhinitis affects 19 million Americans. It is triggered by environmental factors like certain odours or irritants in the air, changes in the weather, some medications, certain foods, and chronic health conditions.

Basically, rhinitis can be classified into two common types, allergic and non-allergic. But the most common kind of rhinitis is allergic rhinitis, which is usually caused by airborne allergens like pollen (tree, grass, and weed), dust, flakes, and dander from certain animals. However, non-allergic rhinitis affects 19 million Americans that are triggered by environmental factors like certain odors or irritants in the air, changes in the weather, some medications, certain foods, and chronic health conditions.

Symptoms of allergic and non-allergic rhinitis:

Symptoms vary between the two types of rhinitis. Common symptoms such as sneezing, nasal itching, headache, coughing, fatigue, and cognitive impairment may trigger allergic rhinitis. Sometimes allergens from animals may also affect the eyes and lead to watery eyes, redness, or itchy eyes and puffiness around the eyes.

Whereas non-allergic rhinitis symptoms may come and go, and sometimes people may have constant symptoms that last for hours or even days. Stuffy nose, runny nose, sneezing, and mucus in the throat are some of the common symptoms of this kind of rhinitis. Furthermore, this type of rhinitis doesn’t cause itchy nose, eyes or throat symptoms associated with allergic rhinitis such as hay fever.

Who’s at risk of getting attacked by rhinitis?

• Allergic rhinitis – People who are oversensitive to allergens, along with a history of allergies in their family, are more likely to develop allergic rhinitis. Moreover, environmental factors also play a major role in developing allergic rhinitis. Various studies have shown that certain factors may increase the chance of a child developing allergies, such as growing up around second-hand smoke and being exposed to dust mites or pets at a very young age. Furthermore, people who have an oversensitive immune system are also at high risk of developing allergic rhinitis.
• Non-allergic rhinitis – People exposed to irritants and older than the age of 20 are at risk of getting non-allergic rhinitis. Females (due to hormonal changes during menstruation and pregnancy) can also experience allergy symptoms. Moreover, people who make prolonged use of decongestant nasal drops or sprays and those who already have certain health problems are more at risk of non-allergic rhinitis.

How to diagnose rhinitis?

After experiencing any of the symptoms, you may head towards your doctor or GP. Below are some of the tests that your doctor will perform:

1. For allergic rhinitis – It is common for your doctor to ask you questions about any symptoms or triggers that have caused a reaction. Then, your doctor will examine the inside of your nose to check for nasal polyps. These are fleshy swellings that grow from the lining of your nose and can be caused by the inflammation that occurs as a result of allergic rhinitis. Basically, allergic rhinitis is confirmed when medical treatment starts, and if you respond well to antihistamines, then it is certain that an allergy causes your symptoms.

Allergy testing – If the cause of allergic rhinitis is unknown, then your doctor may refer you to a hospital or allergy clinic for allergy testing. These include Skin prick tests and blood tests.

2. Non-allergic rhinitis – The doctor diagnoses this kind of rhinitis after noticing your symptoms and ruling out other causes, especially allergies. There are no specific tests for diagnosing non-allergic rhinitis, but certain tests like skin and blood tests are normally performed to diagnose the same. In some cases, your doctor will recommend that you have a nasal endoscopy and CT scan to rule out any problems caused by the sinuses.

What is the treatment of rhinitis?

Treating rhinitis totally depends on how severe the symptoms are. Home treatment and avoiding triggers may be enough for mild cases, but for some cases, certain medications may provide relief, which include:

• Saline nasal sprays – These sprays are helpful in the effective treatment of rhinitis. You can buy these nasal sprays over the counter or from various online supplement stores. Saline nasal sprays help flush out nose irritants, thin mucus, and soothe the membranes in your nose.
• Corticosteroid nasal sprays – This type of nasal spray is recommended by your doctor only if decongestants or antihistamines don’t easily control the symptoms. These nasal spray types include Flomist Nasal Spray 50 mcg, 100 metered doses. Corticosteroidmedications help in preventing inflammation associated with some types of non-allergic rhinitis.
• Antihistamine nasal sprays & eye drops – A doctor may recommend antihistamine sprays and eye drops such as Azelastine (Arzep nasal spray 10ml) and Olopatadine Hydrochloride eye drops (Olopat 0.1% (5ml). These nasal sprays and eye drops are very effective in reducing symptoms of non-allergic rhinitis.
• Oral decongestants– These medications help in narrowing your blood vessels and also reduce the congestion in the nose. You can get these oral decongestants over the counter or by prescription. These drugs include Pseudoephedrine and Phenylephrine. Moreover, some of the possible side effects include insomnia, loss of appetite, high blood pressure, heart palpitations, anxiety and restlessness.
• Immunotherapy– Immunotherapy is another type of treatment used for some allergies. This treatment is available for those who are suffering from certain types of allergies like hay fever, and is usually only considered if your symptoms are severe. Immunotherapy is the procedure which gradually introduces more and more allergens into your body to make your immune system less sensitive to them.

Lifestyle and home remedies for rhinitis:

Below are some tips that may help you reduce discomfort and relieve symptoms. These are mentioned as follows:

For allergic rhinitis:

The best prevention or home remedies for rhinitis are to stay away from allergens that cause it. Below are a few points that you may follow to avoid allergens:

• Stay away from house dust mites as dust is one of the biggest causes of allergies. You can stay away from house mites by regularly cleaning your home, includingyour pillows, curtains and old bedsheets.
• Keep your pets outside as much as possible and also limit their entry to your room.
• Try to keep your doors and windows shut during mid-morning and early evening, when there is pollen in the air.

For non-allergic rhinitis:

• Blow your nose regularly and gently if mucus or irritants are present.
• Humidify your nose by breathing in steam from a warm shower to help loosen mucus and clear your head of stuffiness.
• Try to stay hydrated most of the time by having plenty of liquids like water, juice, or non-caffeinated drinks.

Access to quality-assured allergy medicines

Managing allergic rhinitis becomes easier when you have access to genuine prescription allergy medications from a trusted online pharmacy. Buying original and quality-assured allergy medicines online allows you to conveniently order doctor-recommended treatments for allergic rhinitis, hay fever, skin allergies, and other allergic conditions from the comfort of your home. You can easily find these medicines on AllDayChemist, a well-established platform for purchasing authentic medicines at the best price.

 Also Read: Asthma: Prevention and Medication