Allergic Rhinitis By Dr Anmol Arora ( Sr Homoeopathic physician )

Allergic

Allergic Rhinitis is an allergic reaction to airborne particles that primarily affects the nose and eyes. There are two types of allergic rhinitis: seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and perennial allergic rhinitis, which occurs year-round. Allergens (substances that cause allergic reactions) responsible for allergic rhinitis usually enter the body by inhalation. Hay fever is caused by outdoor allergens, and perennial allergic rhinitis by indoor allergens. Symptoms of allergic rhinitis resemble a cold, except that they occur only at particular times: during certain seasons or weather patterns (hay fever), and around certain animals or small household pests (perennial allergic rhinitis). Millions of people are affected by allergic rhinitis. Many people who have allergic rhinitis also have asthma.

Signs and Symptoms

Allergic rhinitis can cause many symptoms, including the following:

• Stuffy, runny nose; discharge is generally thin and clear

• Sneezing

• Post-nasal drip

• Red, itchy, and watery eyes

• Swollen eyelids

• Itchy mouth, throat, ears, and face

• Sore throat (called pharyngitis)

• Dry cough

• Feelings of fullness and buzzing in the ears (called tinnitus)

• Headaches

• Partial loss of the senses of hearing, smell, and taste

• Fatigue

• Dark circles under the eyes

Causes

The body’s immune system is designed to fight harmful substances like bacteria and viruses. But in allergic rhinitis, the immune system overresponds to substances that are harmless to most people — like pollen, mold, and pet dander — and launches an assault. This attack is called an allergic reaction. In an allergic reaction, substances called histamine (among other chemicals) are released. Histamines contribute to the symptoms of allergic rhinitis.
Seasonal allergic rhinitis is caused by an allergic reaction to pollens and spores (depending on the season and area) as they are carried on the wind. Sources include:

• Ragweed – the most common seasonal allergen

• Grasses

• Trees

• Fungus (mold growing on dead leaves)

• Year-round allergic rhinitis is caused by an allergic reaction to airborne particles from the following:

• Animal dander (skin flakes)

• Dust and household mites

• Cockroaches

• Molds growing on wall paper, house plants, carpeting, and upholstery

Risk Factors

• Family history

• Having other allergies, such as food allergies or eczema

• Exposure to second hand cigarette smoke

Diagnosis

Your family and personal history of allergy is important in diagnosing allergic rhinitis. Questions you may be asked include the following: Do symptoms vary according to time of day or the season? Do you have a pet or are you exposed to one? Have you made changes to your diet? Are you taking any medications?

The doctor will likely examine your nose and nasal secretions. Allergy testing may reveal specific allergen(s). Skin testing is the most common method of allergy testing. This may include scratch, patch, or other tests. In a scratch test, for example, small amounts of suspected allergens are applied to the skin with a needle prick or scratch. If there is an allergy, a hive (swollen reddened area) forms within about 20 minutes. You should not take antihistamines for at least 12 to 72 hours before the test. Occasionally, the suspected allergen is dissolved and dropped onto the lower eyelid of the eye as a means of testing for allergies.

In children, observing behavior is helpful in diagnosis. Symptoms of allergic rhinitis may cause a child to wiggle the nose and push the nose upward with the palm of the hand to clear obstruction.

Preventive Care

Taking the following steps to reduce your exposure to allergens may prevent symptoms.

• If you have hay fever, during days or seasons when airborne allergens are high:

• Stay indoors, and if possible, close the windows

• Use an air conditioner

• Avoid using fans that draw in air from outdoors

• Avoid air drying your clothes

• Bath or shower and change your clothes after being outside

Pollination occurs at different times of day for different plants. For example, ragweed pollen is highest in the late morning, and grasses are highest in the afternoon. Most trees produce pollen in the spring, grasses and flowers usually produce pollen during the summer, and ragweed and other late-blooming plants produce pollen during late summer and early autumn.

If you have perennial allergic rhinitis:

• Cover your pillows and mattress with dust mite covers

• Use an air purifier

• Avoid pets and other triggers

Treatment Approach

Reducing allergy symptoms is the goal of treatment, and the best way to do this is to avoid exposure to allergens. Complete avoidance of environmental allergens may be impossible, but exposure may be minimized in many cases. For hay fever, this may be accomplished by staying indoors in air conditioned rooms on days when the count of your particular allergen is high in the environment. For perennial allergic rhinitis this means using dust mite covers for pillows and mattresses, and using an air purifier.

Homoeopathic Drug therapies  is used to control mild to moderate symptoms and certain complementary and alternative therapies may also be used to successfully treat the symptoms of allergic rhinitis.

Desensitization (immunotherapy, or “allergy shots”) is occasionally recommended. It includes regular injections of the allergen (substance causing the allergic reaction) given in increasing doses (each dose is slightly larger than the previous dose). The aim of desensitization is to gradually accustom the immune system to the allergen so that it no longer reacts to that substance. This is done very slowly and carefully, starting with minute amounts of the substance, in a controlled setting (namely, your doctor’s office).

In addition to following these important treatment steps, certain lifestyle and dietary changes may help prevent or improve symptoms of allergic rhinitis.

Lifestyle

Preventive measures may be taken to avoid symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Although it may be unrealistic for people with hay fever to stay indoors during all high pollen and ragweed times, other measures can reduce chances of symptoms. If possible, you should:

• Choose air conditioning over window fans

• Avoid working with compost, raking leaves, or walking through uncut fields

For perennial allergic rhinitis, you can take the following measures.

To reduce mold:

Clean moldy surfaces. Mold is often found in air conditioners, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, swamp coolers, and refrigerator drip pans

Reduce indoor humidity to less than 50% using air conditioners and dehumidifiers

Fix water leaks and clean up water damage

Put windows in or otherwise ventilate kitchens, bathrooms, and crawl spaces; vent laundry dryers to the outside

Put flooring in crawl spaces

Avoid carpets and upholstered furniture

Wash bedding every week in hot water

Keep stuffed toys out of the bedroom

Encase pillows and beds with allergen-proof covers