  What
are the symptoms of allergic rhinitis?
The
most obvious and easily recognised type of
allergic rhinitis is “hay fever”. Hay fever
causes itchy, runny nose and eyes during
times of the year when people come into
contact with pollens or other airborne
allergens. But not everyone with allergic
rhinitis has these symptoms. Symptoms of
allergic rhinitis can be any combination of
itching (in the nose, back of throat, and
eyes), sneezing, runny nose or eyes, and a
blocked nose. Allergic rhinitis can occur
all year round when the allergen is dust
mite or pet allergens.
Allergic
rhinitis can cause any of these symptoms:
-
Frequent
sore throats
-
Hoarse voice
-
A frequently
blocked nose
with no
other
symptoms
-
A frequent
throat-clearing
cough,
especially
in children
-
Breathing
through the
mouth,
especially
in children
-
Snoring
-
A feeling of
pressure
over the
sinuses (on
the front of
the face and
head)
-
Frequent
unexplained
headaches
-
Frequent
middle ear
infections,
especially
in children
-
Coughing,
especially
in children
when they
lie down at
night
-
Bad breath
-
Loss of
sense of
smell
-
Disturbed or
unsatisfying
sleep, with
daytime
tiredness
and poor
concentration
-
Frequent
unexplained
respiratory
symptoms in
a person
whose asthma
is stable
and well
controlled
with
appropriate
treatment.
|
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What causes allergic
rhinitis?
The most common
allergens for people with allergic rhinitis
are pollens, house dust mite, pets, moulds
and cockroaches.
Seasonal allergic
rhinitis (hay fever) is usually triggered by
wind-borne pollen from grasses, weeds or
trees. Symptoms are most common in spring
and summer, but can occur at different times
depending on the region and rainfall. In
tropical northern regions, pollens can be in
the air all year round. The amount of pollen
in the air is highest:
-
in
the morning
-
outside
-
on
windy days
-
after
thunderstorms.
Allergic rhinitis that
persists throughout the year (perennial
allergic rhinitis) is typically caused by
allergy to house dust mite, pets or moulds.
Most people with allergic rhinitis are
allergic to more than one substance
(typically pollen and house dust mite), so
many will have symptoms all year or for
weeks to months at a time.
Food allergies do not
cause allergic rhinitis. When the nose
becomes runny or blocked as a reaction to
food (e.g. spicy foods, wine), this is not
due to allergy but may indicate irritation
or a chemical intolerance. Rhinitis in
response to fumes (e.g. fragrances and
paints) is not an allergic reaction, though
it may respond to the treatments for
allergic rhinitis. |
