Oddly enough, but most often inflammation of the mucous membrane occurs suddenly, so the disease is acute and is called acute rhinitis. The disease can occur on its own, and may be a consequence of the penetration of microbes into the body. Naturally, a runny nose begins to appear as a result of the action of microbes and infection, but the factors that help them develop quickly depend on various other reasons, for example, it may be hypothermia of the body or the effects of the environment.
A large number of people do not take the disease seriously, believing that it will pass by itself, but it should be noted that such an attitude can only provoke serious complications.
What does ICD 10 mean?
If you carefully consider the classification, then when acute rhinitis is diagnosed, the code according to ICD 10, this means that the inflammatory process is not specific and may be accompanied by complications. In this case, the patient may notice abundant discharge from the nasal passages. When the sinuses are involved in the whole process, doctors can diagnose the ICD - J00.
What changes are happening
Given the fact that according to ICD 10, acute rhinitis affects the nasal mucosa, the epithelium in the nasal passages begins to suffer first. Gradually, a person may notice that it becomes difficult for him to breathe, swelling of the nose appears. When the extreme stage occurs, the appearance of erosion on the mucous membrane, as well as in the deepened tissues, can be distinguished. Rarely, but still doctors diagnose that even the bone tissue can be affected in the severely advanced stages of rhinitis. A sick person can notice changes not only in their appearance, but also note that the nasal septum is substantially deformed. When such changes occur, the disease is assigned a new ICD code. In such cases, acute rhinitis cannot be caused by an allergy; most likely, we are talking about viruses and bacteria.
Types of Rhinitis
There are several types of acute rhinitis.
Allergic rhinitis can occur only in certain seasons and last a certain amount of time. In this case, the patient may notice transparent discharge from the nose, constant sneezing, tearing of the eyes and soreness in the nasopharynx.
Vasomotor rhinitis can be associated with an allergy, but it happens at the same time, for example, the patient may note that discharge from the nose begins actively during flowering, or cold can act as an irritant.
Viral rhinitis is caused by a virus, which means that a sick person will be able to notice other symptoms of a cold.
Hypertrophic rhinitis begins to appear when the tissue in the sinuses grows, which is what leads to the patient’s heavy breathing.
Atrophic rhinitis is associated with the refined walls of the sinuses and dystrophy of bone tissues, often the patient can observe purulent discharge with an unpleasant odor.
Bacterial rhinitis is associated with the action of bacteria and fungus, which also produce unpleasant secretions and pus.
If the disease is not treated on time, then one type of rhinitis can easily pass into another.
Causes of Rhinitis
Acute rhinitis can occur for many reasons that are worth considering in more detail.
- Long stay in an area that is considered to be unfavorable for various reasons.
- Human work in a factory with harmful conditions.
- Problems with vegetovascular dystonia.
- Diseases of the endocrine system.
- Polyps or cysts in the nose.
- Diseases of the kidneys and lungs.
- Burn of the nasal mucosa.
- Allergies associated with various causes, such as cold, gas entering the body, pollen, or the body’s reaction to medications.
- Nasopharyngeal diseases, such as sinusitis, frontal sinusitis, or sinusitis.
Allergic reactions can sometimes occur due to the structural features of the nasal membrane in some categories of people.
Rhinitis stages
Despite the fact that the disease is called acute rhinitis, it nevertheless develops gradually. Doctors distinguish several stages that are worth paying attention to.
The first stage is dry rhinitis, it in itself resembles a common cold. At this time, viruses have not yet had time to exert their detrimental effect on the body, so a person feels only a slight burning sensation in the nose, dryness and swelling appear. Such a stage can last up to two days.
The second stage is already associated with serous discharge from the nose, it can last three days and can seriously interfere with a person’s free breathing due to nasal congestion. At this stage, a lot of mucus from the nose begins to stand out, the smell disappears. If a person does not take any measures to treat rhinitis, then gradually the disease begins to spread to the tonsils and larynx.
The third stage of the disease is characterized by purulent discharge. The mucus becomes very thick, pus is present in it, and an unpleasant odor also appears.
Rhinitis must be treated, and then a sick person can note a decrease in swelling and inflammation in the sinuses. As a rule, a full recovery can occur within a week.
Symptoms of the disease
Of course, the symptoms can be very diverse, this is influenced by the type of disease and the stage at which it is located. If acute rhinitis is suspected, the symptoms may be as follows:
- A person loses the ability to breathe freely through his nose.
- Constant sneezing appears.
- Stuffs ears and nose.
- Tears begin to flow for no reason.
- The mucous membrane is very dry.
- Crusts form in the nasal passages.
- Headache.
- Nasal discharge is transparent, sometimes with purulent and bloody patches.
- Loss of smell.
You should definitely pay attention to the symptoms, otherwise the acute form of the disease can become chronic, and then the treatment will be much more difficult.
Diagnosis of rhinitis
In order to accurately be able to make a diagnosis, it is necessary to carry out the following activities:
- It is necessary to undergo examination by a physician, if acute rhinitis is observed in children, then by a pediatrician.
- An ENT can diagnose the disease.
- A general blood test is required, as the level of leukocytes can tell a lot.
- Separate rhinoscopy.
Particular attention must be paid if the disease is protracted. In this case, the disease can become chronic, and then it will be possible to diagnose other diseases: otitis media, inflammation of the lacrimal passages, dermatitis.
Is it obligatory to treat rhinitis?
If rhinitis does not have any complications, then it can be safely treated at home. What therapy will be recommended by a doctor depends on the inflammatory process. The most commonly used medications for treatment are those that relieve symptoms. In the case when rhinitis is considered an independent disease, treatment begins with a series of actions.
First of all, the nasal cavity is washed with a special solution, which is done in this way: 1 teaspoon of salt is dissolved in 200 milliliters of boiling water, the solution is cooled to room temperature and buried in the nose.
When the nasal congestion is very strong, foot baths with the addition of mustard can help.
It is important to remember that when acute rhinitis is diagnosed, ICD 10 means that the disease proceeds in a complex form, so treatment is more effective, and medications must be used for this.
Drug treatment
Most doctors use medications to treat rhinitis.
First of all, vasoconstrictor drugs are used, which relieve swelling and reduce the amount of mucus. The drug is available in the form of drops for the nose, so treatment with these drugs can last no more than a week.
If acute rhinitis occurs in children, treatment may include emollient ointments.
Sometimes treatment is impossible without antihistamines, so use Claritin, Suprastin or Tavegil.
When rhinitis occurs with serious complications, then treatment is carried out using antibiotics.
To support the body, a doctor may prescribe vitamins.
With severe exacerbation, additional funds are prescribed, for each person all drugs are selected separately.
Physiotherapy
When acute rhinitis is diagnosed, treatment can also be carried out using physiotherapy. The fact is that the effectiveness of these procedures is quite high, and there are practically no contraindications. Physiotherapy includes:
- Electrophoresis with minerals.
- UHF warming.
- Phototherapy.
- Inhalation with various oils or salts.
- Special breathing exercises.
It is this treatment that can make it possible to improve your health and reduce the period of rehabilitation after an illness.
Treatment by stages
No matter what disease the code carries, acute rhinitis cannot be ignored. Despite the fact that treatment occurs on an outpatient basis, sometimes patients with high fever are still required to adhere to bed rest. If the treatment prescribed by the doctor is started in time, the patient will be able to feel relief from the second day. Let's consider what measures need to be applied in stages.
Be sure to begin treatment of rhinitis in the first stages. If there are headaches, then you should take a drug that reduces them, as well as drip your nose with special drops to relieve swelling.
When the disease goes into the second stage and the inflammatory processes become pronounced, you should go to antibiotics.
The third stage requires special attention, because during this period the disease can be accompanied by serious complications, therefore it is recommended that doctors use a 5% Protargol solution, it is recommended that the patient undergo mandatory physiotherapy and vitamins. In total, such treatment can last more than ten days.
When a person develops acute rhinitis, treatment should be systematic, should be treated at least a week, the only way you can not heal the disease.
Folk remedies
Along with medications, alternative methods are also good. Of course, they should be used only after consulting a doctor, so as not to aggravate your condition. The most famous folk methods are:
- Treatment with laundry soap. A sick person lathers himself a finger and lubricates the sinuses with the resulting solution. Due to the properties of soap, this method can get rid of some germs.
- The infusion of calendula is considered effective. It is this herb that has an antibacterial effect and relieves inflammation. A teaspoon of grass is poured with boiling water and insisted for about an hour, the resulting nasal cavity is washed with the resulting solution.
- In the pharmacy you can buy menthol oil, which disinfects the inflamed mucous membrane. A day is enough to drip twice two drops in each nostril.
It should be remembered that alternative methods of treatment can be exclusively auxiliary, and not basic.
Prevention
Acute rhinitis can be prevented, for this it is enough to perform the following actions.
- As much as possible, a person will be able to protect himself if he will prevent any colds.
- At the first signs and symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor, especially if the child is sick.
- Proper nutrition and regimen will help to strengthen the body to combat various viral and bacterial diseases. It is advisable to eat more fruits and vegetables that contain vitamin C.
- The room in which the person is located should often be ventilated, and wet cleaning should be systematically carried out.
- You should carefully monitor the temperature regime, for example, you can not immediately move from a warm room to a cold one.
- Hardening procedures help the body to tolerate diseases easier, so it is necessary to harden gradually, and in addition it is recommended to play sports as well.
Basically, all prevention is aimed at strengthening the body, so that later it is easier to fight some viruses. With the first symptoms, it is immediately worth starting the treatment in order to prevent complications, otherwise it can drag on for an indefinite period, which will only worsen the general condition of a person.