What is Allergic Rhinitis?
Allergic Rhinitis or commonly known as nose allergy is a quite common allergic condition. It is associated with watery discharge from the nose and eyes, itching of ears and throat, excessive sneezing.
What causes nose allergy?
Allergic Rhinitis occurs more often in polluted and over crowded areas.
The body reacts to pollutants and irritants, by secreting a substance called histamine, which in turn stimulates the nose/eyes to water, sneeze and itch.
Allergic Rhinitis may be seasonal or occur throughout the year.
Most common irritants are dust mite, pollen and animal dander.
Can nose allergy be treated?
Allergic Rhinitis is a life long condition due to our body’s susceptibility to allergens. But it can be brought well under control and one can lead a more or less symptom free life.
What are some non medical treatments I can do?
Treatment starts with avoidance of allergens that cause the symptoms like dust or pets. But it is a difficult task to avoid things in our environment.
Start by wearing a mask while being exposed to dust, especially while cleaning the house, or travelling in a 2 wheeler.
Soak bed sheets and pillow cases in hot water and wash them every week. Keep your carpets and curtains clean.
What medications would I need?
During seasons with excessive symptoms a short course of antiallergic tablets and nasal sprays can bring the condition under control. For certain individuals the nasal sprays may have to be taken for a longer period of time; this is perfectly safe with no side effects.
Are there any investigations for nose allergy?
Allergy test is a simple test done on the forearm. A small quantity of popularly known allergens is used to test which allergen is the culprit in a particular individual.
Once the specific allergen is known, a treatment called immunotherapy can be done.
Immunotherapy is a relatively new and advanced treatment for allergy. It involves small drops given under the tongue for a particular period of time.
Know your Doctor
Dr. Deeksha has a special interest in allergy management. She takes time to diagnose the exact cause as well as understand which medications would be best suited for each particular patient.
