Allergic Rhinitis A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions

Allergic rhinitis is a medical disorder of allergic effects affecting the nose. These allergic conditions occur when the patient breathes in something he or she is allergic to such as dust, animal dander or pollen. Symptoms can also happen when the patient eats a food that he or she is allergic to. Most allergic rhinitis disorders are due to plant pollens. This form of allergic rhinitis is often called hay fever or seasonal allergy.
An allergen is something that activates an allergy reaction. Hay fever is an allergic response to pollen. Plants that produce a hay fever reaction are trees, flowering plants, grasses and weeds. The pollen from the plants is transmitted by the wind. Types of Rhinitis:A. Allergic rhinitisEpisodic rhinitis1. Occupational rhinitis (allergen)2. Perennial rhinitis3. Seasonal rhinitisB. Non-allergic rhinitis1.
Atrophic rhinitis2. Chemical- or irritant-induced rhinitis3. Drug-induced rhinitisa. Antihypertensive medicationsb. Aspirinc. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugsd. Oral contraceptivese. Rhinitis medicamentosa4. Emotional rhinitis5. Exercise-induced rhinitis6. Gustatory rhinitis7. Hormone-induced rhinitisa. Pregnancyb. Oral Contraceptive8. Infectious rhinitis9. Non-allergic rhinitis with eosinophilia syndrome (NARES)10.
Occupational rhinitis (irritant)11. Perennial non-allergic rhinitisa. Vasomotor rhinitis12. Reflux-induced rhinitis or gastroesophageal reflux diseaseSymptoms that occur:a. Itchy nose, mouth, eyes, throat, skin or any areab. Problems with smellc. Runny nosed. Sneezinge. Watery eyesAllergy testing may show the pollen or other substances that trigger the symptoms.1. Skin testing2. If the doctor finds that the patient cannot have skin testing, special blood tests may help with the diagnosis.3.
The tests are known as IgE RAST tests and can measure the levels of allergy-related substances.4. A full blood count (FBC) test involving the eosinophil countTreatments for allergic rhinitis are:AntihistaminesNasal corticosteroid spraysDecongestantsLeukotriene inhibitorsAllergy shots (immunotherapy)TABLE OF CONTENTIntroductionChapter 1 Allergic RhinitisChapter 2 CausesChapter 3 SymptomsChapter 4 DiagnosisChapter 5 TreatmentChapter 6 PrognosisChapter 7 Vasomotor RhinitisChapter 8 RhinosinusitisEpilogueAllergic Rhinitis is a very common condition in all ages.
Some childhood Vasomotor Rhinitis improves after puberty. Others go on to adulthood. The most obvious symptom is sneezing or stuffy nose every morning which slowly improves by late morning. Allergic Rhinitis may result in chronic sinusitis due to chronic nasal infections.