Introduction
Due to exposure to pollen or other allergens, allergic rhinitis, which can be seasonal or persistent, causes itchiness, sneezing, rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, and occasionally conjunctivitis. History and occasionally skin tests are used to make a diagnosis. An oral antihistamine combined with an oral decongestant or a nasal corticosteroid (with or without an oral or nasal antihistamine) is the first line of therapy.
What Is Allergic Rhinitis?
An apparently innocuous chemical that triggers an allergic reaction is known as an allergen. A response to an allergen causing hay fever, sometimes referred to as allergic rhinitis. The occurrence of allergic rhinitis might be seasonal or year-round (as a form of perennial rhinitis). Typically, seasonal rhinitis is allergic. Perennial rhinitis is at least 25 percent non-allergic.
Seasonal Rhinitis: Plant allergens, which differ by season and geographical location, are the main culprits behind seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever). Some typical plant allergies are
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Spring: Tree pollens in the spring (e.g., oak, elm, maple, alder, birch, juniper, olive).
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Summer: Grass and weed pollens, including those from Bermuda, Timothy, Sweet Vernal, Orchard, and Johnson (e.g., Russian thistle, English plantain).
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Fall: More weed pollen (e.g., ragweed).
Regional variations causes are also present, and airborne fungi (mold) spores can occasionally be the source of seasonal allergic rhinitis.
Perennial Rhinitis: Year-round exposure to indoor allergens (such as dust mite feces, cockroach parts, and animal dander) or a significant allergic reaction to plant pollens throughout successive seasons are the two main causes of perennial rhinitis.
There is debate over whether allergic rhinitis and asthma are caused by the same allergic process (the one-airway theory) or if rhinitis is a separate asthma trigger. Allergic rhinitis and asthma commonly coexist.
What Are the Risk Factors for Allergic Rhinitis?
Everyone can have allergies, but if an individual's family has a history of allergies, they are more likely to get allergic rhinitis. Moreover, having asthma or atopic eczema increases the likelihood of getting allergic rhinitis. Certain factors may cause or aggravate this condition, such as:
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Cigarettes.
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Harmful substances.
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Chilly temperatures.
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Humidity.
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Wind.
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Air pollution.
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Hairspray.
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Cologne.
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Odors from wood smoke.
How to Diagnose Allergic Rhinitis?
One may just require a physical checkup if they possess minor allergies. To choose the best line of action for both prevention and therapy, the doctor may, however, order a few tests. The skin prick test is one of the most common tests. To determine how the body will respond to certain drugs, the doctor will apply them to the skin. Any allergy usually results in the development of a little red bump. Additionally blood tests and radioallergosorbent tests (RAST) are also often performed. Blood immunoglobulin E antibodies to certain allergens are measured by the RAST.
Medications to Treat Allergic Rhinitis
There are several techniques to manage allergic rhinitis. They include prescription drugs, as well as possible alternative treatments, home cures, and more. Consult a physician before implementing any novel therapies for allergic rhinitis. the doctor.
1. Antihistamines: Antihistamines can be used to treat allergies. They function by preventing the body from producing histamine. Several well-known over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines include the following:
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Fexofenadine.
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Loratadine and Desloratadine.
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Diphenhydramine.
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Cetirizine.
2. Decongestants: Decongestants can be used for a brief duration, often no more than three days, to reduce sinus pressure and stuffy nose symptoms. If one uses them for a longer period of time, they risk a rebound effect, which means that after one stops taking them, their symptoms will worsen. Typical OTC decongestants consist of:
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Sudafed contains pseudoephedrine.
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Phenylephrine.
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Cetirizine.
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Before using a decongestant, consult the doctor if they have an irregular heart rhythm, heart disease, a history of stroke, anxiety, sleep disturbance, high blood pressure, or bladder problems.
3. Nasal Sprays and Eye Drops: For a brief period of time, Itching and other allergy-related symptoms can be reduced with the aid of eye drops and nasal sprays. Nonetheless, one might need to prevent long-term use depending on the product. Overusing some eye drops and nasal drops can have a rebound effect similar to decongestants. Immune responses and inflammation can both be helped by corticosteroids. There is no rebound effect from these. Often suggested as a long-term, practical method of managing allergy symptoms are steroid nasal sprays. Both over-the-counter and with a prescription, they are accessible. To be sure of taking the optimum drugs for one’s symptoms, see the doctor before beginning any allergy treatment.
4. Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT): SLIT is the sublingual administration of a tablet containing a concoction of several allergens. In contrast to allergy injections, it does not require an injection to work. At the moment, it works well for treating rhinitis and asthma allergies brought on by grass, tree, cat, dust mite, and ragweed pollen. Following an initial medical visit, one can take SLIT medications, such as oral 5-grass pollen extract, for certain grass allergies, at home. The doctor's office will be where one receives the first dosage of any SLIT. The drug is administered on a regular schedule over a length of time decided by the doctor, similar to allergy injections.
A throat discomfort or mouth itchiness are potential adverse effects. SLIT therapies can, in rare circumstances, result in anaphylaxis.
How to Avoid Allergic Rhinitis?
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Staying away from triggers.
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Occasionally desensitization.
Staying Away from Triggers
Triggers for recurring allergies should be eliminated or avoided wherever feasible. Among the strategies are the following:
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Removing knickknacks, magazines, novels, and soft toys that accumulate dust.
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Using pillows made of synthetic fibers and impermeable mattress coverings.
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Regularly hot-water washing bed linens, pillows, and blankets.
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Cleaning the house often, including wet mopping, vacuuming, and dusting.
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Removing the carpets and upholstered furnishings or routinely cleaning them.
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Using blinds in place of drapes and shades.
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Eliminating exposure through cockroach extermination.
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Using dehumidifiers in wet, poorly ventilated areas like basements.
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Using HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters and vacuums.
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Avoiding trigger foods.
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Confining pets in certain areas or excluding them from the house.
Desensitization
Desensitization immunotherapy is used when allergic rhinitis is seasonal rather than persistent.
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The signs are quite bad.
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There is no way to avoid the allergy.
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Adequate drug therapy is lacking.
To prepare for the following season, the first desensitization attempts should start as soon as the pollen season is over. When desensitization is initiated during the pollen season, unfavorable reactions increase since the person's allergic immunity is already at its most activated.
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For Adults: One 300-IR (index of reactivity) or one 2800-BAU (bioequivalent allergy unit) pill of oral 5-grass pollen extract or timothy grass extract administered once daily.
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Patients Between the Ages of 5 and 17: Five-grass pollen extract was administered as one 100-IR tablet on day one, two 100-IR tablets concurrently on day two, and one 300-IR tablet once per day starting on day three.
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Patients under the Age of Five: who suffer from allergic rhinitis brought on by grass pollen should take one 2800-BAU tablet of timothy grass pollen extract each day.
The initial dose should be administered in a medical environment, and patients should be watched for 30 minutes afterward in case anaphylaxis develops. Patients can administer successive doses at home if the initial dose is well tolerated. Each grass pollen season's treatment starts four months beforehand and continues all year long.
Conclusion
Allergic rhinitis is simple to treat for the majority of individuals with medications from a pharmacist. However, it is not always possible to avoid things one is allergic to. But, with proper actions and necessary precautions, one may lessen their symptoms.
