RHINITIS

What is rhinitis?
Rhinitis is a reaction that occurs in the eyes, nose and throat when airborne irritants (allergens) trigger the release of histamine. Histamine causes inflammation and fluid production in the fragile linings of nasal passages, sinuses, and eyelids.

What are the different types of rhinitis?
The two categories of rhinitis are:



allergic rhinitis
There are two types of allergic rhinitis:

seasonal - occurs particularly during pollen seasons
perennial - occurs throughout the year
The most-common causes of allergic rhinitis are:
pollen
dust mites
mold
animal dander
Reactions from allergic rhinitis include:
sneezing
congestion
runny nose
itchy nose, throat, eyes, and ears

Preventive measures for avoiding allergic rhinitis include:

environmental controls, such as air conditioning, during pollen season
avoiding areas where there is heavy dust, mites, molds
avoiding pets
Treatments for allergic rhinitis, as determined by your physician and based on your condition, may include:

oral medications
inhaled medications
immunotherapy
allergy injections
nonallergic rhinitis
Types of nonallergic rhinitis are:
vasomotor rhinitis (irritant rhinitis)
eosinophilic
rhinitis medicamentosa
neutrophilic rhinosinusitis
structural rhinitis
nasal polyps
primary vasomotor instability
Causes of nonallergic rhinitis include:

fumes
odors
temperature
atmospheric changes
smoke
other irritants
Reactions from nonallergic rhinitis include:

sneezing
congestion
runny nose
itchy nose, throat, eyes, and ears
The preventive measure for avoiding nonallergic rhinitis is avoiding the primary cause.

Treatments for nonallergic rhinitis, as determined by your physician and based on your condition, may include:

oral medications
inhaled medications
immunotherapy
allergy injections
surgery for some conditions