Why is allergic rhinitis more common in autumn? Can it be cured?

Expert of this article: Wang Qian, attending physician of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Hebei Provincial Chest Hospital

This article was reviewed by Tao Ning, PhD, Associate Professor at a National Institute

Many people like autumn because the weather becomes cooler and they can temporarily say goodbye to the scorching heat.

But there are also many people who hate autumn because they always sneeze and have a runny nose when autumn comes.

Allergic rhinitis is a lingering "nightmare" for many people.

According to research conducted by relevant institutions, the number of patients with allergic rhinitis worldwide has exceeded 1 billion. The Progress of Epidemiological Research on Allergic Rhinitis in China published in the Journal of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery in 2019 showed that in my country's central cities, there are as many as 20 patients with allergic rhinitis for every 100 people.

Why is autumn the peak season for allergic rhinitis? Many patients will treat themselves with antibiotics or cold medicines, but do they work? Can allergic rhinitis be cured?

Let’s figure it out together today!

Why is allergic rhinitis more common in autumn?

Allergic rhinitis is an IgE-mediated inflammatory disease of the nasal mucosa. It is most common in spring and autumn every year and has obvious seasonal characteristics.

The typical symptoms of allergic rhinitis are continuous sneezing, nasal congestion, itchy nose, watery nasal discharge, and even eye discomfort such as itchy eyes, tearing, burning sensation, conjunctival congestion, etc.

Some child patients will perform the "allergic salute", which is rubbing the nose upwards with the palm or fingers, in order to relieve nasal itching and keep the nasal cavity unobstructed.

Allergic rhinitis is divided into perennial allergic rhinitis and seasonal allergic rhinitis.

The allergens of perennial allergic rhinitis are mostly mites, seafood, protein foods, etc., and there is no obvious seasonality.

Seasonal allergic rhinitis allergens are mostly plant pollens. There is more pollen in the air in spring and autumn, which makes allergic rhinitis more likely to occur. Therefore, allergic rhinitis is more common in spring and autumn.

What is the difference between allergic rhinitis and a cold?

Allergic rhinitis and colds are two completely different diseases, with great differences in symptoms and treatments.

Systemic symptoms: Allergic rhinitis generally does not cause fever, sore throat, hoarseness, headache, muscle aches, fatigue and other systemic symptoms, while colds may cause the above-mentioned systemic discomfort.

The characteristics of nasal secretions are different: in allergic rhinitis, the nasal mucosa is light red or pale, accompanied by obvious swelling, thin secretions, and obviously a lot of secretions. In a cold, the nasal mucosa is congested and swollen, mainly red, accompanied by thick yellow-white secretions.

Different seasons of onset: Allergic rhinitis often occurs in spring and autumn when there is more pollen; while colds can occur all year round, often occurring during the transition from autumn to winter.

What harm does allergic rhinitis do to the human body?

Allergic rhinitis not only causes allergic symptoms in the nose and eyes, but is often accompanied by a variety of other diseases.

Bronchial asthma: Bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis are essentially the same and often occur at the same time, one in the nose and the other in the airways. Allergic rhinitis is an independent risk factor for asthma.

The main symptoms of bronchial asthma are recurrent attacks of wheezing and shortness of breath, with or without chest tightness and shortness of breath, which often occur at night and in the morning. During an attack, obvious wheezing can be heard in both lungs.

Upper airway cough syndrome: Allergic rhinitis causes a significant increase in nasal secretions, which can flow back to the back of the nose and throat, stimulating cough receptors and causing repeated coughing. Cough suppressant medication is ineffective. It is a common cause of chronic cough in children.

Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome: If children's allergic rhinitis is not controlled for a long time, they will experience mouth breathing at night, enlarged adenoids, obvious snoring at night, and even sleep apnea, which will affect the development of the child's nervous system.

Can it be treated with antibiotics and cold medicine?

Many people take antibiotics when allergic rhinitis attacks, which is wrong. The essence of allergic rhinitis is allergy, which requires anti-allergic treatment. It is not a bacterial infection, so antibiotics are ineffective. The misuse of antibiotics will lead to drug resistance and even the emergence of super bacteria.

Some people take cold medicine when allergic rhinitis attacks, which is also wrong. The main function of cold medicine is to relieve fever, analgesia and inflammation. Most of the common colds are viral infections, and often cause high fever, body muscle aches, headaches, nasal congestion and other discomfort symptoms. Cold medicine is mainly to relieve the above discomfort symptoms and reduce pain. Allergic rhinitis is completely different from colds, and the treatment cannot be generalized.

How to treat allergic rhinitis correctly?

The cruel truth is that allergic rhinitis cannot be completely cured at present. Staying away from allergens is the fundamental treatment for allergic rhinitis.

But in many cases, it is impossible to completely stay away from allergens. For example, some patients are allergic to pollen, which fills the air in spring and autumn and cannot be completely kept away from; some people are allergic to mites, which exist all the time. In these cases, some drugs are needed to control the discomfort symptoms.

Hormones: Most of them are nasal sprays, such as budesonide, mometasone furoate, and fluticasone propionate. This type of drug is currently the most effective and main treatment drug, and the effect of continuous use is significantly better than intermittent use. At the same time, there is no need to worry too much about the side effects of hormones. Clinical studies have shown that nasal spray hormones have less systemic absorption and few systemic side effects.

Second-generation antihistamines: Nasal medications - azelastine, levocabastine; systemic oral medications - cetirizine, loratadine. They can effectively control nasal symptoms and have significant effects on runny nose, sneezing, and nasal itching.

Leukotriene receptor antagonist: Montelukast. It has a significant effect on improving nasal congestion and can be used for patients with bronchial asthma.

In summary

Allergic rhinitis cannot be cured

But you can use medication to control symptoms

Antibiotics and cold medicines are ineffective against it.

Be sure to prescribe the right medicine for the right condition!