ARTHRITIS
A person who experiences excessive sneezing accompanied by nasal congestion, runny nose, and itchy eyes, ears, nose, and throat, may be suffering from rhinitis. Rhinitis occurs when there is inflammation in the mucous membranes of the nose due to certain irritants, viruses, bacteria, and germs. The most common symptom of rhinitis is runny nose, though there are others that are just as noticeable and uncomfortable. The runny nose in rhinitis cases is mainly caused by histamine increase. Histamine is an amine released by the human immune system when an allergic reaction occurs. Histamine increase is brought about by the presence of airborne allergens which affect the ears, nose, throat, and eyes.
There are two types of rhinitis: allergic and non-allergic. Allergic rhinitis has two classifications. Seasonal allergic rhinitis occurs only during the pollen-infested seasons, while perennial allergic rhinitis occurs the whole year round. Persons suffering from allergic rhinitis normally have itchy ears, nose, throat, and eyes. Nasal congestion, sneezing, and a runny nose are some of the other common reactions of an allergic rhinitis patient.
Allergic rhinitis is also called hay fever. It is one of the most common problems worldwide with more than 15% of the total population suffering from it at one point in their lives.
Non-Allergic Rhinitis is not triggered by allergy but has basically the same symptoms or reactions of allergic rhinitis. Some of the factors that can trigger non-allergic rhinitis include smoke, fragrance, air pollution, atmospheric changes, certain odors, and aerosol sprays.
Other forms of rhinitis include vasomotor rhinitis, which is commonly attributable to exposure to temperature and humidity changes; and rhinitis medicamentosa, which is described as rebound nasal congestion due to overuse of topical decongestants.
Diagnosis of rhinitis is done in several ways. A patient’s health history and a detailed account of the occurrence of symptoms will help doctors determine basic facts about the condition. Some doctors will require their patients to undergo a complete physical examination to find out the effects of rhinitis in the body. This will also help rule out the presence of other more potentially dangerous diseases.
Nasal smears and allergy testing will be helpful in determining a patient’s susceptibility to rhinitis, or to allergies. In cases where inflammation of the sinuses is involved, some doctors may require a sinus X-ray or CT scan.
The best preventive measure against rhinitis is the elimination and avoidance of allergens and irritants like dust, mites, pets, molds, and smoke. A change in lifestyle will also be beneficial, especially for those who are suffering from non-allergic rhinitis. Oral and inhaled medications like antihistamines are available, though some may cause sleepiness or extreme drowsiness. Patients can also choose to undergo allergen immunotherapy which involves the administering of allergy shots. This is recommended specifically for patients who cannot take oral or inhaled medications due to some certain factors; it’s also recommended for those with chronic allergies. Allergen immunotherapy can be effective in fighting off and controlling allergy symptoms. Rhinitis medicamentosa may be cured by undergoing nasal surgery.
Untreated or undiagnosed rhinitis may lead to complications like ear infections, recurrent sore throat, sinusitis, cough, headache, fatigue, and altered sleep patterns.
