ALLERGIC RHINITIS

Allergic rhinitis or Grass fever ̏ is a disease caused by the body's reaction after exposure to various allergens. The most common allergens are tree and grass pollens that bloom in the spring, mold and pets.

Allergy symptoms are the result of a chain reaction that starts in the immune system. The immune system controls how the body defends itself. For example, if you have a pollen allergy, your immune system recognizes pollen as an invader or allergen. The immune system overreacts to produce antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE). These antibodies travel to cells that release histamine and other chemicals, causing allergic reactions with symptoms such as sneezing, nausea, runny nose and itching. People with allergic rhinitis usually also suffer from allergic conjunctivitis. Rhinitis can also aggravate other problems such as asthma, diseases of the nasal cavity or ears, or cause difficulty sleeping.

The main symptoms of allergic rhinitis are:

• Sneezing: Occurs one after the other in a row, often in the morning or when exposed to areas with a high concentration of allergens.
• Nasal runny nose: This is the secretion of clear mucus («like water»), usually in sufficient quantity.
• Nasal congestion: It is the"stuffy nose" ;. It often affects the sense of smell, reducing it, thus altering the taste as these two senses are closely connected. It also affects some patients with hearing loss, causing them to feel clogged.
• Itchy nose, throat, ears: Especially for the nose, the friction caused by the itching is often so intense that it irritates the lower part of the nose.

Other symptoms that are often the result of the above or due to diseases associated with allergic rhinitis are:

• Crying eyes with itching (allergic conjunctivitis).
• Cough.
• Snoring / mouth breathing.
• Nasal bleeding: the loss of usually a small amount of blood from the nose, which is caused by the loud blowing of the nose.
• Dark circles and puffiness under the eyes.
• Fatigue, irritability, headache / headache

All or only some of the above can occur to any patient, with the severity of the clinical picture ranging from mild to severe.

Therapy

Exposure to the responsible allergen should be avoided if possible. In terms of symptomatic treatment, drugs are selected based on the severity of the clinical picture. The basics are:

• Antihistamines: These are oral or intranasal drugs. They are the most widely used drugs and treat runny nose, sneezing and itching. The older ones caused drowsiness, a problem that has been overcome with newer antihistamines.
• Nasal steroids: These are nasal sprays used to control inflammation. It is practically the drug of choice for nasal congestion, while they have excellent effects on other symptoms. They take a while (some days) to work so it is important to start treatment at the first symptoms to control the condition as soon as possible.
• Decongestants: These are drugs that relieve immediately, relieving nasal congestion. This is achieved by acting directly on the nasal vessels which contract.