Allergic rhinitis is an inflammatory process that develops on the inner shell of the nose (mucous membrane), provoked by some kind of irritant. In Russia, approximately 11-26% of the population, regardless of age, is ill with this type of runny nose. Allergic rhinitis has symptoms that manifest in time - from a few seconds to twenty to thirty minutes.
This disease can accompany atopic dermatitis (inflammatory skin disease). Allergic bronchial asthma is also characterized by a runny nose.
As mentioned above, the condition manifests itself in direct contact with the stimulus. There are several types of pathogens that provoke allergic rhinitis. Among the most common irritants, the following are distinguished:
- dust from books and interior items;
- ticks living in house dust;
- individual food products (fruits, sweets, etc.);
- parts of insects (paws, flakes, wings);
- mold, yeast mushrooms;
- some medications (as a rule, certain types of vitamins and antibiotics);
- pollen of plants.
Allergic rhinitis can also occur due to a genetic predisposition. As practice shows, if parents are prone to manifestations of such a condition, then the onset of an ailment in a child is not excluded.
An allergic rhinitis has several characteristic features that distinguish it from another. These include:
- sneezing, manifested in the form of a pronounced attack;
- discharge from the nasal cavity, as a rule, transparent, watery;
- itching in the nose;
- frequent nasal congestion, mainly during sleep, at night; in rare cases, shortness of breath with a stuffy nose is noted.
With an allergic rhinitis, certain external signs are observed that accompany the deterioration of the state of the inner lining of the nasal cavity. Thus, you can recognize the ailment yourself.
A runny nose is accompanied by some swelling and slight difficulty in breathing, the patient breathes mainly through the mouth. One of the brightest signs is tearing and redness in the eyes. In some cases, dark circles form under the ophthalmic region. Rubbing or scratching the palm of your nose are common.
According to the results of some studies, this form of the common cold is characteristic of childhood or adolescence. Moreover, practice has shown that in the family of a patient with this ailment of a child, there is always a relative who has one of the forms of allergies.
Given the symptoms, experts classify three degrees of the condition.
With a mild allergic rhinitis, working capacity does not decrease and sleep disturbance is not noted. The average form of the disease is characterized by a slight decrease in tone. In addition, there are difficulties with sleep. The third degree is the state of allergic rhinitis with pronounced symptoms.
In addition, there is a classification according to the time of year. So, for example, seasonal allergic rhinitis manifests itself, as a rule, in the summer or spring. During these periods, rapid bloom and spread of pollen is noted - the main irritant of the nasal mucosa. This type of runny nose can occur after going to nature, direct contact with the animal, during cleaning.
There is also year-round allergic rhinitis, which manifests itself regardless of the season - all year round.
Often, a runny nose can indicate the development of a disease, for example, conjunctivitis or bronchial asthma.
It should be noted that allergic rhinitis is not the only form of inflammation of the mucosa. In some cases, it is very difficult to pinpoint one type or another due to the similarity of their symptoms.