Spring is here, and rhinitis is here! How to deal with annoying allergic rhinitis?

It is spring again, and it is the time to enjoy the flowers. However, for people with allergic rhinitis , this is also the most challenging season of the year. When everyone is excited to arrange spring outings and other activities, they are "entangled" by allergic symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, skin redness, swelling, and itching . Why does allergic rhinitis occur in spring? How to deal with allergic rhinitis?

What is allergic rhinitis?

Allergic rhinitis, also known as allergic rhinitis, is a non-infectious chronic inflammatory disease of the nasal mucosa mainly mediated by immunoglobulin IgE after the body is exposed to allergens.

In layman's terms, allergic rhinitis is a non-infectious chronic inflammation of the nasal mucosa after the human body comes into contact with allergens (such as pollen, animal dander, dust mites, etc.).

Typical symptoms of allergic rhinitis

Sneezing. Episodes of sneezing occur several times a day, with more than 3 sneezes each time, mostly in the morning or at night, or after contact with allergens.

▲ Runny nose. A lot of clear watery nasal discharge, sometimes dripping from the nostrils unconsciously.

▲Nasal congestion. Intermittent or continuous, unilateral or bilateral, varying in severity.

▲Itchy nose. Most patients experience itching in the nose, and patients with hay fever may also experience itchy eyes, ears, and throat.

If more than two symptoms occur, and these symptoms persist or accumulate for more than 1 hour a day, and are accompanied by eye symptoms such as itchy eyes and conjunctival congestion , you need to go to the hospital for a formal examination and ask the doctor to diagnose whether you have allergic rhinitis.

Sneezing and runny nose do not necessarily mean a cold. In addition to pollen, dust, dust mites, mold, animal dander, cockroaches and other factors can induce allergic rhinitis, resulting in sneezing and runny nose.

In addition, there are some factors that can aggravate allergic symptoms, such as air pollution, sudden encounter with cold air, humid weather, the effects of smoking, the effects of sprays, etc.

Why is rhinitis more common in spring?

In fact, rhinitis can occur all year round, especially acute rhinitis. However, when we walk on the street in spring, we will find that there are more people sneezing and blowing their noses around us than in other seasons. This is mainly because spring is the peak season for allergic rhinitis. Spring is the season when plant pollen is sown, and the concentration of pollen in the air is relatively high. People who are allergic to pollen will develop allergic rhinitis after contact. In addition, the wind is strong in spring, and fungal spores and dust mites in the air are scattered in the air. People who are allergic to these ingredients will develop allergic rhinitis after contact, with symptoms such as nasal congestion, nasal itching, sneezing, and runny nose.

How to treat allergic rhinitis?

The treatment principles of allergic rhinitis include environmental control, drug therapy, immunotherapy and health education .

Drug treatment is mainly symptomatic treatment, used to relieve the symptoms of allergic rhinitis such as nasal congestion, runny nose, nasal itching and sneezing.

Immunotherapy is a causal treatment for allergic rhinitis and can change the natural course of allergic rhinitis.

At present, allergic rhinitis cannot be completely cured, but through standardized comprehensive prevention and treatment, various symptoms of patients can be controlled and their quality of life can be improved.

Prevent allergic rhinitis by doing this

1. Stay away from allergens: People with allergic rhinitis should isolate themselves from allergens and try to avoid outdoor activities, such as flowers, plants, pollen, catkins, etc. If you must go out, remember to wear a mask.

2. Indoor pest control: If there is someone with allergic rhinitis at home, in addition to paying attention to hygiene, all pests such as cockroaches and moths in the home should be eliminated to avoid the spread of diseases and allergens.

3. Dry your quilt in the sun more often: Quilts will produce mites if you sleep on them for a long time. When the weather is good, take your quilts out to dry in the sun frequently to kill the mites and prevent allergic rhinitis.

4. Avoid keeping pets: People with allergic rhinitis or allergic constitution should not keep pets indoors, as the hair or dander of pets can cause allergic rhinitis.

6. Nasal wash with saline: Use a certain pressure to send saline into the nasal cavity and discharge it from the nostrils or mouth to achieve the purpose of cleaning the nasal cavity and promoting the dissipation of inflammation.

7. Strengthen exercise: People with allergic rhinitis are particularly sensitive to changes in the air. They should pay attention to doing aerobic exercises at home to enhance their physical fitness, such as skipping rope, yoga, jogging, sit-ups and other aerobic exercises.

8. Seek medical treatment promptly: It is recommended that everyone go to the hospital promptly once symptoms of allergic rhinitis appear, determine the condition, and receive treatment according to the doctor's orders.

Patients with allergic rhinitis should avoid the following misunderstandings

1. It doesn’t matter whether you treat it or not

Many people think that allergic rhinitis is just a "minor problem" that is a little painful when it occurs, but after that, you will be the same as a healthy person, so it doesn't matter whether you treat it or not. In fact, if allergic rhinitis is not treated in time, it may induce sinusitis and nasal polyps. Long-term improper treatment may also lead to otitis media, loss of smell, and even induce bronchial asthma.

2. Treat allergic rhinitis as a cold

Some people mistakenly believe that they have a cold caused by the change of seasons when they experience symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, and nasal congestion in spring and autumn. They are afraid of wasting time and money on going to the hospital, so they take cold medicine on their own. As a result, the course of the disease is prolonged and symptoms such as nasal congestion and runny nose persist.

3. Abuse of nasal drops

Some patients have long-term nasal congestion and use nasal drops alone for treatment. They use them casually, and use them whenever their nose is blocked. Since these nasal drops usually have a strong vasodilatory effect and are the most common cause of drug-induced rhinitis, it is recommended that a single course of treatment should not exceed 7 days and should not exceed 3 times a day.

4. Stopping medication too early

Many patients only take medication when they have an attack, and stop taking it as soon as the symptoms are slightly relieved, which causes allergic rhinitis to get better and worse, or even get worse and worse. For seasonal allergic rhinitis, you should follow the doctor's advice to take medication 2 to 3 weeks in advance. After the season is over, you cannot stop taking the medication immediately, but continue taking it for about two weeks.

Source: Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Hong Kong University Shenzhen Hospital, Public Health and Preventive Medicine