Myth or Fact of Allergic Rhinitis

Allergy is a broad term used to describe the immune reaction of an individual to an allergen. An individual can be allergic to a specific allergen or multiple allergens present in the air, plants, food, animals, metals, etc. Presentation of allergy can vary based on the part of the body that is involved. When it affects the nose and paranasal sinuses it is called Allergic Rhinitis and when it involves the bronchus and the lung it is termed as Allergic Bronchitis. Similarly, when an allergy affects the skin, it is called Allergic Dermatitis.

Being a tropical country, the most common form of allergy seen in India is Allergic Rhinitis. There are 2 million allergens in the atmosphere and when the body is exposed to these allergens it triggers a chain reaction releasing the chemical mediators leading to symptoms.

Myth or Fact of Allergic Rhinitis

The most common symptoms of Allergic Rhinitis include multiple bouts of sneezing, watering from the eye, watering from the nose, itching of the eyes and nose, and nose block. In most individuals, the severity of these symptoms increases during the spring and winter season. Usually, allergic rhinitis co-exists with allergic bronchitis leading to dry cough, wheezing, and breathlessness.

As described earlier allergic symptoms are the effect of reactions in the individual’s immune system. Hence complete cure of allergic rhinitis is not possible. However adequate medication can resolve the symptoms upto 80% and improve the Quality of Life (QoL).

The most common question asked by our patients is the need for an allergy testing. An allergy testing is done to identify the specific allergen the individual is allergic to and hence to completely avoid them. There are 2 million allergens in the atmosphere and testing all of them or avoiding them is impossible. An allergy test is of use only when an individual is allergic to one particular allergen.

The best treatment for allergy is avoidance however this is not always practical. The next best approach is the use of intranasal steroid sprays. Though these sprays contain steroids, it does not get absorbed into the body and has no side effects even with long term usage and can be used by children above 2 years of age to elderly people.

Allergy is not a disease per se which can be cured in 7 days with medications. The treatment plan for Allergy includes long term usage of steroid nasal sprays and further tapering its dose for better results. Adequate treatment can provide the individual a better quality of life.

Most of our patients ask us if there is any role for surgery in allergic rhinitis. Surgery has a role to play when there is any structural deformity like deviated nasal septum or enlarged turbinates that impede the drug delivery. Surgery is indicated when allergic rhinitis has caused sinusitis due to blockage of the sinus drainage pathway. At SVASTII, we provide a comprehensive Allergic Rhinitis diagnosis and treatment.