Rhinitis or coryza, is inflammation and irritation of the nasal mucous membranes with sneezing and stuffing of nose. This rhinitis could be Allergic or Non Allergic. Both of these problems cause similar symptoms of runny or stuffy nose and sneezing but the main differentiating feature is that Allergic Rhinitis is caused by specific allergens like pollen grains, dust mites, animal dander etc, whereas Non Allergic Rhinitis is triggered by environmental irritants like cold air, temperature changes, strong perfumes etc.
Some keys factors to identify NAR ( non allergic rhinitis ) are given below:
But usually both AR and NAR are associated closely because of overlapping symptoms and common areas of involvement but the main difference is identifiable triggers in AR and non-allergic trigger factors in NAR. In short, both have similar symptoms but different triggers.
Some individuals may have both AR and NAR, called “mixed rhinitis”. In these patients symptoms might be present all round the year due to NAR and symptoms may also worsen during allergy season or on exposure to triggers.
Allergic Rhinitis is an atopic disease with symptoms of runny nose, stuffy nose, sneezing, nasal itching and post-nasal drip. Allergic rhinitis is a constitutional illness and occurs due to a faulty immune system. The three major types of rhinitis are allergic rhinitis (AR), non-allergic/ non-infectious rhinitis (NAR) and infectious rhinitis.
Allergic Rhinitis (AR) or hay fever is an IgE-mediated immune response against inhaled allergens. It is one of the components of a systemic allergic response in atopic individuals, often associated with asthma and atopic dermatitis. It can be seasonal, perennial or mixed. A rough estimated prevalence is 20%-seasonal, 40%-perennial and 40%-mixed. Risk factors for developing AR are family history of atopy, male sex, presence of allergen-specific IgE, a serum IgE greater than 100 IU/ml, higher socioeconomic status, higher exposure to pollution etc.
Certain children with IEI (Inborn Errors of Immunity and HIES (Hyper IgE Syndrome) may have severe allergic rhinitis with recurrent skin infections or eczema.
Mixed AR, in which patients have both Seasonal & Perennial AR types.
Understanding and differentiating Allergic Rhinitis from NAR or Non Allergic Rhinitis is very important from the patient’s point of view so that wrong medication can be avoided.
Psychological effects of allergic rhinitis, can include depression, irritability, anxiety, memory loss, loss of confidence, fatigue, low energy, frustration etc.
Small children lack confidence in interacting with friends due to their inherent allergic problems and avoid playing games in the open to avoid the precipitation of an allergic attack. We have helped hundreds of these children to lead a normal life in a few months treatment.
Allergic Rhinitis generally clears up in a few days in most people but when it recurs very often or is almost always present then it can be called chronic Allergic Rhinitis. Perennial rhinitis results from irritants that are always present around like dust mites, cockroach droppings, mold spores and pet dander.
Most of the patients who approach us for treatment of allergic or non allergic rhinitis are already on antihistamines and corticosteroid sprays or other medicines including homoeopathic potencies. The side-effects of many medicines immensely suppress the already weak immune system of the patient and the patient presents a resistant immune system. Most of the patients unknowingly over drug themselves due to the random nature of the illness and lack of a radical cure till now. Easily available OTC medicines leads to incorrect self drugging in majority of patients. In such patients the symptom picture becomes cloudy and unreliable. Our immune boosting therapy is initially aimed towards antidoting the effects of previous over drugging and balancing of the immune system.
The diagnosis of the type of rhinitis of the patient is of prime importance for long term relief and it would be better if the help of an ENT doctor or chest specialist is taken for expert advice. For mild or uncomplicated cases the personal history is most often sufficient. Incomplete or wrong diagnosis can lead to failure in identifying the right remedy. Most often in cases of Allergic rhinitis the serum IgE levels need to be checked for confirming the diagnosis & treatment course. Skin prick tests also help in identifying the allergen.
As the patient approaches us for treatment of rhinitis, we differentiate the problem to diagnose it whether it is Allergic Rhinitis or NAR-Non Allergic Rhinitis. Both of these cause similar symptoms of runny or stuffy nose and sneezing but the main difference is that Allergic Rhinitis is caused by specific allergens like pollen grains, house dust mites, animal dander etc, whereas Non Allergic Rhinitis is caused by environmental irritants like cold dry air, temperature changes, strong perfumes etc. In AR there is a systemic involvement due to the immune response to a known allergen but it is not so in NAR. One is caused by allergens whereas the other is caused by environmental irritants. NAR is less likely to cause itching in eyes or throat. The most common cause of NAR is acute viral infection.
Our medicine is a combination prepared after study of thousands of Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma patients in our clinic since the last 30 years. The results obtained have been encouraging and can be seen in the following categories: (AR- Allergic Rhinitis / NAR- Non Allergic Rhinitis)
Taking care of acute symptoms of AR is the prime target of most OTC drugs and the magnitude of the problem demands strong intervention. Anti-histamines are the drug of choice for Allopathic doctors. We will also advise you to take Allopathic treatment from a chest specialist for your acute problems so that your daily activities do not get hampered.
In the event of reappearance of suppressed old skin eruptions after the start of our medicine the patient is asked to report to us for evaluating the future course of treatment. Understanding the nature of the illness of the patient is of prime importance in giving long term relief to the patient. Allergic Rhinitis is a constitutional problem and it needs to be differentiated from other forms of rhinitis like nonallergic rhinitis with eosinophilia syndrome (NARES) or acute rhinitis.
According to available studies so far apx. 50% cases of allergic rhinitis remain undiagnosed in India and therefore receive wrong treatment. Wrong diagnosis of AR can lead to decreased quality of life and increased risk of development of asthma in future. On a rough estimate 20-30% of Indian population suffers from allergic rhinitis and almost 15% develop asthma. According to International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), prevalence of AR in children in India is about 11.3% in 6-7 years and 24.4% in 13-14 years. Improper holistic treatment in childhood is one of the main reasons for increase in allergic rhinitis, asthma and eczema cases in India.
In todays world everything including knowledge is just a click away. Is it very important for anybody looking for an effective treatment or any cure for allergic rhinitis, to be updated about the disease that the person is suffering from. This knowledge must include the symptoms, causative factors, as well as medicines which shall relieve his/her condition. A vigilant patient can be very helpful in overcoming a chronic condition.
As in any disease, the causative and maintaining causes of disease have to be removed so that recovery is possible and flare-up of symptoms are prevented. Even after the disease is cured, bad diet, lifestyle changes and prolonged exposure to noxious elements and toxic allergens can cause epigenetic changes in the body and trigger an attack of allergic rhinitis. The epigenetic changes can contribute to develop allergies. So it is better to avoid allergic foods and other atmospheric allergens like dust, smoke, perfumes, which can worsen AR symptoms.
Allergic Rhinitis mostly has a genetic origin but studies have also shown that AR can also be non atopic. Localized immune hyperactivity in nasal mucosa can lead to LAR (local allergic rhinitis) without systemic atopy.
Some studies also show that rhinitis in almost 40% child population can be non atopic.
The identification of the type of rhinitis with possible precipitating and aggravating causes can help any person to prevent any unwanted flareup. Lets have a quick look at some possible causes:
Non-Allergic rhinitis can also be caused by:
Things that make allergies worse are called triggers. It is not possible to completely avoid all the triggers but knowing and avoiding them can limit the symptoms. The exposure to allergens on a regular basis is the primary maintaining and causative factor in allergic rhinitis. Anybody looking for a cure of allergic rhinitis has to avoid over exposure to allergic triggers during and after treatment so that medicine can give long lasting relief. Although many patients develop a robust immunity after taking our treatment which is strong enough to keep them healthy even in adverse conditions but we always recommend cultivating healthy habits.
Allergens or triggers in the air cannot be avoided at all times but limiting their exposure intelligently can help the patient in avoiding an attack. Let’s have a quick look at factors that one should keep in mind when seeking to treat allergic rhinitis:
Vitamin C supplementation can act as a natural anti-histamine and antioxidant. It can help to reduce mild symptoms of AR. In our clinical observation Citrus fruits with high vitamin C tend to increase coryza and cause throat allergies in many patients but vitamin C tablets do not cause such aggravations. See what benefits you
HONEY-
Honey can help allergic rhinitis patients by boosting immunity. Care should be taken not to give honey to children below 2 years of age. Honey has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties. It strengthens the immune system and helps to protect against infections, cold and flu and thereby reduces frequency of AR and asthma flare-ups. It contains alcohol and ethereal oil which break up mucus in throat and promote expectoration of cough. It contains traces of iron, phosphorus, calcium, copper, magnesium, gold, etc which strengthen the immune system and helps fight against infections. The darker varieties have more anti-oxidant properties.
Honey can be used with a variety of other natural products like- milk, turmeric, ginger, cloves, gooseberries, basil leaves, onion juice or cinnamon( ceylon variety )for benefit in allergic patients. All these boost the immune system and offer health benefit in Allergic rhinitis & asthma. For one kilogram of honey the honey bee has to collect nectar from thousands of flowers and when a person takes that honey he/she gets exposed to those many varieties of pollen grains which in turn trigger anti-body formation and natural immune boosting in the system of that individual. We recommend honey mixed with other immune boosting herbs to our patients for natural immune boosting, especially Tulsi (Ocimum Sanctum).
All the above mentioned details help the patient in combination with our immune boosting treatment in ensuring a fast recovery from allergic rhinitis.
All of us from Dr. Saggu’s AR CLINIC wish you a fast and speedy recovery from your ailments
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