Runny and Blocked Nose.....

How to diagnose allergic rhinitis?

Rhinitis or runny nose can be due to several factors. Allergic rhinitis is inflammation of the lining of the nose in response allergen around you in your environment. This allergen can be pollen, mould, dust or in your diet. Typically, if you have an itchy and runny nose, sneezing with a blocked nose, this can be due to allergic rhinitis.

How is a diagnosis made for allergic rhinitis?

When you go and see your doctor. He will ask you about your symptoms, severity, and how they are impacting your quality of life. If the cause for your allergic rhinitis symptoms is unclear, then special allergy skin prick test or allergy blood test may be requested.

Why are special allergy test required?

In some cases of allergic rhinitis, it is not clear what is your trigger factor for your symptoms. So, by these tests, treating clinician can advise about lifestyle changes, medications and allergy avoidance.

How is the allergy test performed for allergic rhinitis?

Allergic rhinitis test can be done by skin prick test or by a blood test. If you are taking antihistamine tablets, then you may be advised to stop medication 72hrs before the skin prick test.

What are the impacts of allergic rhinitis?

Sinusitis: Sinus is empty space in the nose which open with small doors into the nasal cavity.

Patients who suffer from regular allergic rhinitis can develop sinusitis symptoms due to blockage of the sinus opening.

Nasal Polyps: Nasal polyps are soft, painless swelling of the lining of the nose. When small nasal polyps can be treated with medical treatment, but in cases, nasal polyps grow to large size they need endoscopic sinus surgery to clear polyps and help with nasal obstruction symptoms.

Obstructive sleep apnoea: Allergic rhinitis can cause nasal obstruction and affect sleep. Optimization of allergic rhinitis treatment can help improve sleep apnoea symptoms. CPAP users with allergic rhinitis symptoms see improvement in their compliance.

Nose bleeds: Allergic rhinitis patients suffer from frequent nose bleeds due to constant use of tissues, dry nose due to overuse or side effect of steroid nasal sprays and in some cases due to increased vascularity.

Migraine: Poor sleep can trigger migraine symptoms in allergic rhinitis patients.

Asthma Better control of allergic rhinitis symptoms can improve asthma symptoms.

Chronic ear problems: Patients can have chronic ear problems due to frequent sniffing.

Chronic cough: Due to constant post nasal drip and irritation of throat in allergic rhinitis.

Is there a role of nose surgery in allergic rhinitis patients?

Management of allergic rhinitis is primarily medical. Surgery may be required in...

Septoplasty: Nose surgery may be needed in case you have bent nasal septum and large turbinate leading to poor control of symptoms. Having septoplasty to correct septum can help the delivery of medication inside the nose.

Nasal Polyp Surgery: Nasal polyps can block the nose, which can prevent the proper use of medication, can affect sleep and in some cases, cause complications of nasal polyps. This can also improve sleep apnoea symptoms.

Endoscopic Sinus Surgery: Nasal sinus surgery is indicated in patients who have frequent sinusitis episodes due to allergic rhinitis.

Mr Gaurav Kumar
Consultant Ear Nose Throat Surgeon

Book Online

Email info@entsurgeonclinic.co.uk

Call 07494914140

Disclaimer: For information only, always seek medical advice from treating consultant.

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