What Is Rhinitis?

Rhinitis, an inflammation of the nasal passages, affects 40 to 50 million people in the United States, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Because there are several forms of rhinitis, it is important to determine which form you have in order to find a successful treatment.

Symptoms

• Rhinitis causes sneezing and a stuffy or runny nose. You may also notice some itching in your eyes, ears and nose, or in the roof of your mouth. These symptoms occur when the nose reacts to an irritation or inflammation of the nasal passages by producing extra mucus. The extra mucus has to go somewhere, and if the mucus finds a forward path, your nose will begin to run. Mucus can also run down your throat, causing post-nasal drip. When post-nasal drip occurs, you may notice that you feel the need to cough often in an attempt to clear out the extra mucus.

Allergic Rhinitis

• Allergic rhinitis, also called hay fever, is a common problem that takes two forms. Seasonal allergic rhinitis causes symptoms in the spring, summer and fall as mold spores and pollens from weeds, grasses and trees float through the air. People who have perennial allergic rhinitis experience symptoms throughout the year and may be allergic to mold spores, cockroaches, dust mites or animal dander.

Infectious Rhinitis

• Infectious rhinitis occurs when you have a cold or other upper respiratory virus. Over a period of several days or weeks, symptoms such as sneezing and runny nose gradually improve, although a cough may remain for a short time after the other symptoms disappear.

Non-Allergic Rhinitis

• Rhinitis can also be caused by medication side effects, environmental irritants, blockages of the nose or temperature changes. Perfume, hair spray, cigarette smoke, chlorine, pollution and car exhaust can trigger non-allergic rhinitis. Certain foods and beverages can cause the problem, as can spices, beer, wine and even aspirin. Changes in temperature, such as exposure to the cold in the winter, can trigger a runny nose. Hormonal changes and pregnancy can also cause non-allergic rhinitis. You can develop chronic non-allergic rhinitis from the use of decongestant nasal sprays. These sprays are meant to be used as a short-term solution to nasal congestion, and if you happen to use them for several weeks, you will notice that your nasal tissues swell when you discontinue the spray, causing congestion to return. If you continue to use the decongestant spray at this point, you may risk permanent damage to your nasal tissue.

Diagnosis

• After listening to your symptoms, taking a medical history and asking questions about your daily exposure to allergens and irritants, your doctor may recommend that you undergo allergy testing in order to determine the cause of your rhinitis. During allergy testing, very small amounts of certain allergens are injected under the skin. If the area around a specific injection site becomes slightly inflamed, you have an allergy to that particular substance.

Treatment

• Treatment options include limiting your exposure to allergens and irritants and using allergy medication or shots. Some people have both allergic and non-allergic rhinitis, requiring a combination of medication and avoidance of triggers to reduce symptoms. Exposure to allergens can be somewhat reduced if you try to stay indoors during allergy season until 10 a.m., when mold and pollen are less prevalent in the air. Using air conditioning and drying your clothes in a dryer, rather than outdoors, can reduce your exposure to pollen. Your can reduce your exposure to pollen when gardening, raking leaves or mowing your lawn by wearing a pollen mask. Using special allergen-free mattress and pillow covers can help if you are allergic to dust mites.