Allergic rhinitis and the common cold may come with the same signs and symptoms. However, they are entirely different from one another in that one is due to allergens and the other is brought about by a virus.
This article will focus more on allergic rhinitis. Read on if you like to get acquainted more with problem that is said to affect 10 to 30 percent of people across the globe. After checking out the entirety of this article, kindly share it on your various social media sites to get everyone you care about become familiar with allergic rhinitis, too.
The Reason Behind It
Simply put, allergic rhinitis happens when you come into contact with an allergen, which is any substance that can cause an allergic reaction. When this happens, your body reacts in an attempt to get rid of the allergen. In doing so, you experience the typical signs and symptoms of allergic rhinitis, some of which will be discussed in a few.
Examples of allergens that can cause allergic rhinitis to strike include tree pollen, grass pollen, flower pollen, mold, dust mites, animal dander (dead skin cells) and the saliva of cats.
A Couple of Types of It Exists
Health authorities say that there are two types of allergic rhinitis. They are seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis.
Seasonal allergic rhinitis, just like what the name says, occurs only during certain times of the year. Usually, it strikes during spring and fall due to the presence of all sorts of allergens in the environment.
On the other hand, perennial allergic rhinitis is something that can take place throughout the entire year or at any given time. Usually, it is a response to allergens found indoors such as mold and pet dander.
Signs and Symptoms
Earlier in this article, it was mentioned that allergic rhinitis and the common cold share the very same signs and symptoms although they are different from each other in that they have different causative factors.
If you are suffering from allergic rhinitis, it will seem like you are down with the common cold. That’s because some of those that you may experience include a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing, scratchy throat, watery eyes, headaches and fatigue.
Someone who has allergic rhinitis may also experience hives and symptoms that are reminiscent of eczema, such skin dryness and itchiness.
Unlike a cold, however, allergic rhinitis does not usually cause the individual to have fever.
Treatment
Unfortunately, there is no drug available that can keep a person from having a bout of allergic rhinitis. However, there are many different ways to put the signs and symptoms of allergic rhinitis under control.
Antihistamines are available OTC and they are some of the most popular medications for controlling allergic rhinitis. They work by keeping your body from producing even more histamines, which are the ones responsible for allergic rhinitis’ various signs and symptoms.
Decongestants are medications for dealing with a stuffy nose. There are nasal sprays available for it, too. For itchy and watery eyes, there are eye drops that doctors may recommend.
Various alternative remedies are said to be effective for allergic rhinitis. Some of them include acupuncture, nasal saline irrigation, probiotic supplementation and the intake of certain herbs. Before attempting to try some alternative solutions for allergic rhinitis, it’s generally a good idea for you to let your doctor know about it first.
Complications
Because allergic rhinitis cannot be completely kept from striking, it’s important for it to be managed properly. Otherwise, it can lead to some complications that can bring about additional problems.
Some of the common complications of allergic rhinitis include sleep deprivation, frequent ear infections, recurring sinusitis, exacerbated asthma symptoms and constant headaches.
