Rhinitis treatment involves using medicines to ease the symptoms of the condition. Medications can be bought at the pharmacy or prescribed by your GP. The medications can’t cure the underlying cause, but they will reduce your symptoms to manageable levels. Depending on the severity of your symptoms and their duration, there are different types of medication available to you.축농증한의원
Antihistamines are the most commonly used rhinitis medications. They work by stopping your body from producing histamine, which is a chemical that causes the symptoms of rhinitis. These medications are usually recommended for allergic rhinitis, but they can also be helpful for non-allergic rhinitis. You can try taking over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines if your symptoms are mild, or you may need to see your GP for a prescription-strength version of the drug1.
Irritants and allergens can trigger the inflammation that causes rhinitis. These substances are called irritants or allergens, and they can include pollen, perfume, smoke, smog, chemicals in cleaning products, barometric pressure changes and food allergies. When these substances enter the nose, they trigger cells in the nose to release histamine and other chemicals, which can lead to a runny nose and itching1.
Allergens can be seasonal or perennial. Perennial rhinitis occurs year-round and is often caused by dust mites, pet hair or dander, cockroaches and cigarette smoke. It can also be triggered by certain medications, some medical conditions and other unknown factors. Symptoms of both seasonal and perennial rhinitis wax and wane, but they can be controlled by environmental measures, OTC medications, allergy shots or immunotherapy1.
If you are unsure of the type of rhinitis you have, you should consult an ENT doctor for further testing and treatment. Skin testing is a safe and common test that can help identify the cause of your symptoms. Your doctor will place a small amount of different allergens on your skin and scratch or prick the area. If you are allergic to the substance, your skin will react with a red bump or hive-like welts that will appear within 30 minutes. This is the only reliable way to determine which allergens are causing your rhinitis symptoms1.
The most effective medications for reducing nasal inflammation are intranasal corticosteroids and oral antihistamines. These drugs work by blocking the production of histamine and decreasing the release of other chemicals that cause your symptoms. They are most effective for treating nasal allergies, but they can also be used to treat non-allergic rhinitis.
It is important to find the triggers of your rhinitis and avoid them to prevent symptoms. The most effective treatments for both allergic and non-allergic rhinitis are avoiding the triggers, taking over-the-counter medications, and speaking with your GP about prescription medication. Non-allergic rhinitis can be hard to diagnose, so you may need to see an allergist to get the proper diagnosis and treatment. 1. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Rhinitis, 2008, http://www.acai.org/guidelines/rhinitis.라경찬한의원