Rhinitis is a common condition in which you have a runny nose. The condition is usually not a serious health problem and you can get relief from over-the-counter medicine and home treatment. However, you might want to visit a doctor to find out more about the cause of your symptoms and what medicines might work best.축농증치료한의원
The most effective treatment for allergic rhinitis is avoidance of the allergen that triggers your reaction. You can do this by avoiding things like animal dander, dust mites, grass, pollen, and mold. However, this is not always possible or practical. The next best option is to use over-the-counter and prescription medicine to control your symptoms. These include nasal sprays and antihistamines.
Nasal corticosteroid sprays decrease the inflammation caused by allergies and are safe for long-term use. They are especially useful for treating mild to moderate symptom severity.
Antihistamines taken by mouth or as a nasal spray can also reduce allergy symptoms, especially itching and sneezing. Some of these medicines can cause sleepiness, so you might not be able to drive or operate machinery after taking them. Newer antihistamines that are second generation or higher tend to cause less sleepiness than older ones.
Many of these medicines can dry the mucous membrane in your nose. This helps to relieve congestion, but if your symptoms are severe you might need a nose spray that contains saline solution. You can buy saline solutions in the store or make one yourself by mixing 1 cup (240 milliliters) of warm water with half a teaspoon (3 grams) of salt and a pinch of baking soda.
If you have a runny nose due to allergies, your doctor might recommend skin or blood testing to determine what is causing it. Skin tests involve placing small amounts of different allergens on your skin and observing which ones cause a reaction. Blood tests are used if you have not had skin testing done or when the results of skin testing do not help to diagnose your allergy.
Your doctor might recommend immunotherapy to treat your allergy if your symptoms are not controlled with medications. This involves getting regular injections of a small amount of an allergen over time. This teaches your body to tolerate the allergen and reduces your allergy to it.
This treatment is expensive and not available for everyone. Several studies have shown that it works well, but you should weigh the cost against how important it is to control your allergies. A new symptom score, the Rhinitis Control Assessment Test, has been developed to objectively measure a patient’s nasal allergy symptoms. It can be used in conjunction with the traditional Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire to help you decide if immunotherapy is the right treatment for you. This score is based on a 6-item patient-completed questionnaire and has been found to be reliable and valid for the prediction of symptom improvement in patients receiving immunotherapy for allergic rhinitis. A version for ocular allergy is being developed.라경찬한의원