Rhinitis

Rhinitis  ( Nasal allergy)

An allergy is a hypersensitivity to a foreign substance that is usually harmless but produces a violent reaction in the allergy sufferer. Allergies are generally the body's effort to eliminate something it considers unsuitable.

Allergens are some of the most common allergens include pollens, dust, dust mites, fungi, bacteria, insects, mold spores, and animal dander.

Rhinitis is a chronic or acute inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nose due to viruses, bacteria or irritants. The inflammation results in the generating of excessive amounts of mucus, commonly producing the aforementioned runny nose, as well as nasal congestion and post-nasal drip.

Types of rhinitis

1. Allergic rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis is a collection of symptoms, mostly in the nose and eyes, which occur when you breathe in something you are allergic to, such as dust, dander, or pollen.

This article focuses on allergic rhinitis due to outdoor triggers, such as plant pollen. This type of allergic rhinitis is commonly called hay fever.

Causes

Hay fever involves an allergic reaction to pollen. (A similar reaction occurs with allergy to mold, animal dander, dust, and similar inhaled allergens.)

The pollens that cause hay fever vary from person to person and from region to region. Tiny, hard to see pollens more often cause hay fever. Examples of plants commonly responsible for hay fever include:

• Trees (deciduous and evergreen)
• Grasses
• Ragweed

The amount of pollen in the air can play a role in whether hay fever symptoms develop. Hot, dry, windy days are more likely to have increased amounts of pollen in the air than cool, damp, rainy days when most pollen is washed to the ground.


Symptoms

In many ways, the symptoms of allergic rhinitis (which is another name for nasal allergies) are close to those of the common cold. However, a cold usually goes away after a few days, while allergy symptoms do not. They may last for days or weeks at a time, or may even persist year-round, depending on what your allergy triggers are.

Symptoms that occur shortly after you come into contact with the substance you are allergic to may include:

• Itchy nose, mouth, eyes, throat, skin, or any area
• Problems with smell
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Tearing eyes
• A hallmark sign of nasal allergies in children is what is known as the "allergic salute" This occurs when children push up on their noses with the palm of their hand in order to stop the itching or sniffles.

Symptoms that may develop later include:

• Stuffy nose (nasal congestion)
• Coughing
• Clogged ears and decreased sense of smell
• Sore throat
• Dark circles under the eyes"shiners"
• Puffiness under the eyes
• Fatigue and irritability
• Headache
• Memory problems and slowed thinking

 Nasal allergy weakens the immune system in the nasal passage because of continuous releasing of mucus and sneezing. Mucus is the defender of the nasal organ. Continuous sneezing could injure the nasal tissue and cause it becomes easily infected by bacteria or viruses. Infection of the bacteria causes the sinusitis; whereas, infection of viruses causes flu. That why, nasal allergy patients easily catch flu and have sinusitis.

Treatment

-The best treatment is to avoid what causes your allergic symptoms in the first place.
-For mild allergic rhinitis , a nasal wash can be helpful for removing mucus from the nose You can purchase a saline solution at a drug store or make one at home using one cup of warm water , half a teaspoon of salt , and pinch of baking soda.

Treatments for allergic rhinitis include:

1. ANTIHISTAMINES
. Antihistamines work well for treating allergy symptoms , especially when symptoms do not happen very often or do not last very long.

.  Antihistamines taken by mouth can relieve mild to moderate symptoms, but many can cause sleepiness.   
 Some may be bought over the counter, without a prescription. Talk to your doctor before giving these medicines to a child, as they may affect learning.

.  Newer antihistamines cause little or no sleepiness. Some are available over the counter. They usually do not interfere with learning. These medications include loratidine (Claritin) and cetirizine (Zyrtec). Other antihistamines are available by prescription.

.  Azelastine (Astelin) is a antihistamine nasal spray that is used to treat allergic rhinitis.

 

2. CORTICOSTEROIDS

. Nasal corticosteroids sprays are the most effective treatment for allergic rhinitis.
. They work best when used nonstop , but they can also be helpful when used for shorter periods of time.
. Many brands are available. You will need a prescription from your doctor. They are safe for children and adults.

3. DECONGESTANTS

. Decongestants may also be helpful in reducing symptoms such as nasal congestion.
. Nasal spray decongestants should not be used for more than 3 days.
. Be careful when using over-the-counter saline nasal sprays that contain benzalkonium chloride. These may actually worsen symptoms and cause infection.

 

4. OTHER TREATMENTS

 

. The leukotriene inhibitor Singulair is a prescription medicine approved to help control asthma and to help relieve the symptoms of seasonal allergies.
. Specific illnesses that are caused by allergies (such as asthma and eczema ) may require other treatments.

 

5. ALLERGY SHOTS

. Allergy shots (immunotherapy ) are occasionally recommended if the allergen cannot be avoided and if symptoms are hard to control . This includes regular injections of the allergen , given in increasing doses (each dose is slightly larger than the previous dose ) that may help the body adjust to the antigen.

                           

 Inflammation caused by nasal allergy and/or viral infection leads to obstruction, fluid accumulation, bacterial infection, and acute disease. If these diseases are unsuccessfully treated, a chronic state of inflammation, obstruction, and infection develops that can cause mucosal damage and, ultimately, chronic disease.

The chronic state of immunophlogosis and hyperreactivity is followed by some important sequelae as sinusitis, which is significantly associated with allergic rhinitis even during childhood and otitis media with effusion, that affects about half of children suffering from nasal allergy. Moreover, an early treatment of rhinitis can prevent the progression to asthma.



                                        
                       

2. Vasomotor rhinitis

Vasomotor rhinitis is a nonallergic condition that involves a constant runny nose, sneezing, and nasal congestion.

Causes

Vasomotor rhinitis is not caused by an infection or allergy. The exact cause is unknown. Symptoms are triggered by something that irritates the nose, such as a dry atmosphere, air pollution, spicy foods, alcohol, strong emotions, or certain medications.      Given that there are only two types of rhinitis--vasomotor and allergic--one might think that it would be easy to make a concrete diagnosis either way. However, given the need for slightly different treatment regimens and the differences in the pathology of the two kinds of rhinitis, it's important to identify your type correctly.

   If you first develop your symptoms when you're young and you're male, you're statistically more likely to have allergic rhinitis. If, on the other hand, you first develop symptoms as an adult and you're female, you're statistically more apt to have the vasomotor variety.

Symptoms

• Runny nose
• Nasal congestion (stuffy nose)
• Sneezing
• Watery nasal drainage (rhinorrhea)

Treatment

The primary treatment is simply avoiding the things that trigger your symptoms.
In some cases, decongestants or a nasal spray containing an antihistamine may help. Corticosteroid nasal sprays may be useful for some forms of vasomotor rhinitis.

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      Nasal allergy symptoms are something people with allergic asthma often have in addition to asthma symptoms. The combination can negatively affect your quality of life. Not only that, but when allergy symptoms go uncontrolled, asthma may actually get worse as well.




Home Remedies for Nasal Allergy:

1.  Make a solution of boiled minced grape fruit and lemon and add to it some honey, and drink it 2-3 times a day. This helps in curing hay fever.

2.  To get relief  from nasal congestion boil some chamomile and inhale the fumes.

3.  Eat a well balanced diet, include a lot of protein, vitamin B and C, this will help you strengthen your immune system.

4.  Ginger and garlic are among the best immunity builder so add them in your daily diet.

5.  Green tea with honey and thyme tea with a dosage of not more than 1-2 cups also helps in curing the nasal allergy.

6.  Avoid smoking cigarette, perfumes and make your home smoke free.

7.  Do not let your pet enter your bedroom.

8.  Vegetable juices (made of spinach and cabbage) taken on a daily basis for at least 10 days proves very beneficial.

9.  Cover your mattress, pillows etc. with plastic to protect it from dust mites and wash your bed covers, curtains and pillow covers in hot water.

10.  Practicing yoga is another natural way of curing it as it involves deep breathing. More people have turned to yoga to cure a variety of illness.