How do you treat perennial rhinitis?

Nasal spray is a common medication used to help relieve runny nose or sneezing symptoms. Patients with such symptoms would find that nasal spray such as Nasonex 50 mg can be a great relief. There are many kinds of nasal spray available in the market, targeted to help relieve symptoms affecting the nose. Nasal spray, especially steroid nasal spray, is typically available with a doctor’s prescription. You may be familiar with nasal spray being used for those with allergies and sinus issues.

Nasal spray is often used in those with allergic rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis is the inflammation of the inside of the nose due to allergic reaction. An allergy reaction itself is the excessive body reaction towards an allergen such as substance that usually does not trigger the body’s immune reaction in other normal people. Allergic rhinitis may happen due to changing seasons such as in spring or perennial which occur all day long and can be triggered by many allergens such as dust mite and pet fur. A person is likely to have this if they do have asthma or other allergies, their parents or siblings have allergies and/or eczema skin condition. We will now be focusing on perennial rhinitis.

Perennial rhinitis is a chronic allergic condition. Symptoms are present on most days of the year. Symptoms include runny nose, frequent sneezing, red itchy eyes, itchy mouth, skin rash, stuffy nose and fatigues. Other symptoms are headache, earache, loss of smell, pain around the temples and forehead, itchy throat and coughing. Perennial rhinitis is typically caused by indoor allergens present all year-round such as dust mites, mould and pet dander. It may be made worse by pollution, industrial dust and strong odours. This explains why perennial rhinitis occurs all year which is in contrast with seasonal allergic rhinitis that often occur within certain seasons of the year.

Although it is true that symptoms are deemed to be harmless, the fact that it occurs almost the whole time of the year can cause great discomfort and may even cause problems in their daily life. A person presented with symptoms even after taking medicine or has been known to have other respiratory conditions such as asthma, should seek medical advice from doctors.

There is no cure for perennial rhinitis. Thus, the way to treat perennial rhinitis is often based on medicine and taking extra measures. Common treatments are over-the-counter medicine such as decongestant and antihistamines. Such medicine can be found in sprays, tablets and eye drops. It is worth noting that corticosteroid nasal spray is best to be received via doctor’s prescription. Immunotherapy is the newest form of treatment and best for long-term symptoms management as it can promise relief of symptoms for years even after discontinuation of the medicine. The downside is that it can be pricey when compared to conventional treatment and treatment needs years before the best outcome can be seen. When a person has symptoms of perennial allergic rhinitis, it is best for them to get checked by a doctor and to get the right treatment. This can help prevent unnecessary medicine or worse, wrong medications. Patients may be prescribed more than one medicine at a time to alleviate symptoms faster.

Beside taking medications, patients with perennial rhinitis are advised to identify and understand the triggers. This means it is best for patients to have discussion with doctors and to make observations on when and what could be triggering the symptoms. Since triggers can be from anything around the people, it would be best to jot down what they might have done on that day, where they have been and when symptoms occur. This can help trace down the pattern and provide information on how to avoid the trigger. Some conditions such as stress and health problems might trigger the symptoms. Thus, patients need to also learn how to manage their stress and treat health issues accordingly.

It can be concluded that perennial rhinitis is inflammation of the inside of the nose caused by an allergen. It is a life-long condition as there is no cure that can fully eliminate the disease. Treatment does help to improve symptoms and reduce the episodes or frequencies of the rhinitis. It is important to use medicine as directed by doctors or as advised on the product’s label to avoid misuse of the drugs and potential side effects. Since perennial rhinitis is a life-long condition, taking extra steps of avoiding triggers will be more beneficial on top of medication. Perennial rhinitis may improve from time to time but is very unlikely for the condition to be gone for good. It is important to treat this condition to avoid complications such as nasal polyps, sinusitis and middle ear infections that can cause more dangerous conditions in future. Remember, a person that has symptoms of perennial rhinitis needs to get evaluated by a doctor and need to know what to do to help alleviate symptoms.

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