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Allergic rhinitis (AR) is caused by a hypersensitive immune system in response to different allergens; the most common allergen that causes AR is pollen.

It is estimated to affect 10-30% of the world’s population, and according to the National Health Service, 1 in 5 people in the UK have allergic rhinitis.

Symptoms of allergic rhinitis

As the name suggests, AR symptoms are seen in the nasal cavity and resemble the common cold. However, symptoms can be seen in other organ systems.

Symptoms include:

  • Sneezing
  • Congested nose (blocked, itchy)
  • Sore throat
  • Cough
  • Watery eyes
  • Frequent headaches
  • Difficulty sleeping

The duration of symptoms varies greatly. For most people, they experience symptoms during a specific season/month of the year, and for the rest of the year, they are symptom-free.

The same applies to the severity of symptoms; while some people might complain of a runny nose that can easily be managed, others may experience severe headaches, sleep disturbances, and hives, which can alter the everyday function of patients.

Causes of allergic rhinitis

The direct cause of allergic rhinitis comes from within; you see, when our immune cells (e.g. mastocytes, eosinophils) come in contact with pollen, they will release some biochemical mediators such as histamine.

As a result, histamine will stimulate vasodilation (expansion of blood vessels) and itching. The former will also lead to nasal congestion, increased secretion of mucus, and a reactional cough.

Histamine will also exert its inflammatory properties in other locations such as the eyes, the throat, and the lungs.

Diagnosis

Even though the diagnosis of AR is straight forward; oftentimes, physicians will face difficulties identifying the allergen causing it.

Your doctor will try to narrow down the number of possible allergens by asking you different questions about your allergy and performing a detailed physical exam.

If the diagnosis is unclear, it is recommended to undergo allergy testing, using blood or hair samples to determine the culprit substance.

Once that is done, you will work with your physician to come up with a plan on how to avoid future episodes.

This could be done via the prescription of certain pharmaceutical drugs such as antihistamines or via the avoidance of that particular allergen.

In the case where antihistamines are ineffective, your doctor might prescribe oral corticosteroids, which are known for their anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and immunomodulating properties.

Prevention

Preventing future episodes of allergic rhinitis is the cornerstone of therapy. The main goal is to avoid exposure to the substance causing your symptoms. This means avoiding exposure to pollen in the case of AR since it’s the most common trigger.

For more information on how to avoid pollen exposure, check out this article from the National Health service.

Conclusion

Allergic rhinitis symptoms can make you miserable and even interfere with your everyday activities.

For this reason, it’s important to stay ahead of your immune system and prevent future flareups, and as the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.