Allergic rhinitis is an extremely common
disorder. Perhaps as much as 20% of the U.
S. population has allergic rhinitis to some
degree or another. Many patients have
symptoms that affect only the nose. Others
have symptoms that affect their eyes, ears,
nose, throat and other parts of the body.
These symptoms can be either seasonal (e.g.
hay fever - late summer, fall) or perennial
(meaning all year long).
The main symptoms of allergic rhinitis are
nasal congestion (meaning swelling of the
membranes of the nose), nasal discharge
(usually clear, but sometimes whitish),
post nasal drip (meaning the sensation of
secretions draining down the back of the
nose and throat), and sneezing.
Many other types of disorders can produce
similar symptoms. Your doctor can determine
if your symptoms are allergy related or
caused by some other disease.
Allergic rhinitis is caused by the
interaction of allergens (substances that
produce allergy, e.g. pet dander, pollen,
mold spores) and the immune system.
These allergens produce a response in
particular white blood cells (macrophages,
eosinophils) that in turn release other
substances (like histamine, interleukins).
These substances produce many other
responses from the membranes of the nose (nasal
congestion, discharge, sneezing, etc).
Treatment of allergic
rhinitis involves at least three strategies:
-
Avoidance
-
Medications
-
Immunotherapy
The simplest form of treatment of allergic
rhinitis is avoiding sources of allergens.
For example, if one has symptoms produced by
being around cats, then one should avoid
being around cats. Avoidance can be aided
by minimizing exposure to allergens, such as
avoiding outside activities during seasons
of heavy pollen. Additionally, frequently
cleaning bed linens and the use of plastic
covers on mattresses can minimize exposure
to mites that live on dead skin cells found
within bed linens and mattresses. Sometimes
this avoidance can be difficult, especially
if one's occupation requires being in an
environment with the allergen (e.g. a
veterinarian who is allergic to cats and
dogs) or one can't identify the particular
allergen; for these patients other options
are available.
Many patients have considerable control of
their symptoms with medications. The goal
of therapy is to diminish symptoms of
allergic rhinitis, without causing other
side effects. A vast array of medications
are available to help alleviate the symptoms
of allergic rhinitis.
Forms of medications to
treat allergic rhinitis:
Patients with perennial allergy who have
not received complete control of their
symptoms with standard therapy for allergy
and allergic rhinitis benefit from
immunotherapy.
