Symptoms of allergic rhinitis
Allergic rhinitis has four main symptoms: sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, itchy nose, and sometimes itchy eyes and congested conjunctivae.
The onset of symptoms is very characteristic: it is often worst in the morning when you first wake up, with multiple sneezing “bursts” and an itchy nose like ants crawling around. Patients also feel unilateral or bilateral nasal congestion, or even loss of sense of smell, and in severe cases, open-mouth breathing, which is very painful. And the outflow is clear nasal discharge, some patients can use up a roll of paper in a morning.
Xu Rui reminded that some parents will not let their children do these actions because they think it is indecent to see them picking or scratching their nose. When you find that your child keeps touching his nose with his hands after repeated corrections, or his hands stop touching his nose, but he starts squeezing his eyes and crooked mouth and nose again, it may be through these small movements to relieve the itchy nose, so pay attention to whether you have allergic rhinitis.
The dangers of allergic rhinitis
Allergic rhinitis has internal immune system problems and also has a genetic predisposition. The main dangers of allergic rhinitis are.
Long-term nasal obstruction can lead to and aggravate sinusitis and lead to the production of nasal polyps.
In children with adenoid hypertrophy combined with allergic rhinitis, nasal snot flows backwards, repeatedly stimulating the adenoids at the back of the nasal cavity, which in turn can lead to more hypertrophy of the adenoids.
The nose and ears are connected, and long-term allergic rhinitis leads to abnormal function of the eustachian tube, which further causes otitis media and may also go down to cause pharyngitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, and allergic asthma.
Blocked nose and inadequate oxygen supply may lead to decreased concentration and drowsiness. If the oxygen supply is inadequate for a long time, it can lead to lesions in vital organs of the body.
Allergic rhinitis is also often associated with a variety of diseases, such as sleep breathing disorders, recurrent coughing due to nasal reflux, etc.
Allergic rhinitis and allergens
Allergic rhinitis is an allergic reaction, and the substance that triggers the allergic reaction is called an allergen. Avoiding exposure to allergens is the most effective way to prevent allergic rhinitis, which is responsible for most asthma, rhinitis and dermatitis. Among the hundreds of common allergens, dust mites are the most common allergen causing allergic rhinitis, but it is basically impossible to completely avoid exposure.
Dust mites, which are difficult to see with the naked eye, feed mainly on human and animal dander and are suitable for living in warm and humid environments, growing and reproducing vigorously in spring and autumn. In the home environment, the following measures can minimize dust mites.
Mattresses are frequently dried and patted on sunny days to keep dry preferably using chemical fiber or mite proof covers and mattresses ;
Pillows should not use feathers, down or cotton as the pillow insert, it is advisable to use other synthetic materials and ensure that the pillow insert is replaced at least once a year;
Do not use down or cotton duvet covers and pure wool blankets for bedding; you can use chemical fiber blankets that are resistant to washing.
Bedding regularly soaked in 50~60℃ water for 1-2 hours and rinsed, or regularly exposed to the sun for 5~6 hours and patted;
Do not use carpets for flooring, you should choose wood flooring, tile or polished stone flooring;
Do not arrange the interior with complex structure, should often wipe the dust with a wet cloth or use a vacuum cleaner with a filter, the filter of the air conditioner should be regularly cleaned or replaced.
Keep the room frequently ventilated;
Keep pets out of the bedroom as much as possible;
Reducing the relative humidity to below 45% is one of the effective ways to eliminate dust mites.
How to treat allergic rhinitis?
In practice, however, it is basically impossible to completely avoid exposure to allergens. Treatment with appropriate symptomatic medications can provide relief, such as glucocorticoids, mainly nasal sprays, and if symptoms are severe and recurrent oral glucocorticoids are needed, they can only be used for a short time. There are also antihistamines, leukotriene receptor antagonists, chromogranins, decongestants, and anticholinergic drugs.
For patients with allergic rhinitis whose symptoms are recurrent and poorly controlled by medications, specific immunotherapy may be considered. It is currently believed that immunotherapy is the only treatment modality that may alter the natural course of allergic rhinitis through immunomodulatory mechanisms. Treatment with appropriate symptomatic medications can provide relief, but only alleviate the disease, and once discontinued, symptoms are prone to reappear.
According to Xu Rui, nasal irrigation can improve nasal symptoms and reduce the chance of lower airway inflammation in patients with allergic rhinitis, but it is not a fundamental treatment. Patients with allergic rhinitis who are ineffective with medication or immunotherapy or who do not want to receive medication can be considered for surgical neurotomy treatment, but there are certain side effects and the long-term effects need a lot of data to support.