Allergic rhinitis (runny nose) is the allergic reaction of the inner lining of the nose to some environmental substances. Different individuals are allergic to different substances. Some common allergens causing runny nose are:
- Dust
- Dust mite debris
- Pollens
- Animal dander
- Molds
- Spores
Symptoms
The symptoms are often not limited to the nose only. The eyes and throat commonly get affected. Some common symptoms are:
- Runny nose
- Blocked nose
- Itchy nose, throat, and ear
- Watery eyes
- Red-eye
- Red-nose
- Fever
- Postnasal drip causing irritation in the throat
- Pain during swallowing
- Dry cough
- Malaise
- Lethargy
Diagnosis
Allergy tests can be done or serum IgE level can be found elevated. But often, no test is required as this can be diagnosed from the patients’ history and clinical features. Many patients know which allergens cause a runny nose to them.
Associations
Allergic rhinitis is more common in individuals who have other allergic conditions. For example asthma, eczema, urticaria, food allergy, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis etc.
Treatment
To be honest, allergies may not be completely cured. Therefore, the best practice is to stay away from the know allergens.
The following preventive measures would be helpful:
- Wearing a dust mask
- Keeping your home and air-condition filter clean
- Keeping your car clean
- Keeping your pet clean
- Not drinking cold beverages
- Staying away from flowers if you have a pollen allergy
If after taking these preventive measures you still have an allergy then you can take the following non-medical therapies:
- Menthol inhalation or gurgling with menthol
- Peppermint
- A home remedy – ginger tea with salt, without sugar.
- Drink warm water
If these don’t work then you can take the following medical therapies:
- Oxymetazoline hydrochloride 0.05 % or 0.025% nasal drop if you have a blocked nose. An alternative to this is saline nasal drop.
- Beclomethasone propionate nasal drop/ spray can also be used.
- Fexofenadine hydrochloride 120 mg twice a day for 7 days.
- Montelukast 10 mg once a day for 7 days.
- Paracetamol if you have a fever.
Common cold
Common cold causes similar types of symptoms. But unlike Allergic rhinitis, it is due to viral infection. It is self-limiting and often does not require any medical treatment. The virus of common cold very frequently changes its genetic structure. Therefore, no effective medication for common cold can be developed till date. Very rarely antibiotics can be prescribed for common cold if complications such as sinusitis, and tonsillitis is suspected.
Conclusion
Almost one-third of the world’s population suffers from allergic rhinitis and its incidence increase during the winter season. There is no curative treatment available for this condition. The best cold medicine for runny nose doesn’t exist! However, you can keep the symptoms under control if you follow the instructions provided in this blog post.
Share our blog post to give us inspiration!
