themselves. Starting with an itchy nose, palate (roof of your mouth) or eyes, this may then turn to sneezing and a few hours later, a blocked nose and decreased sense of smell. Caused by a range of items commonly found in your everyday environment, there are any number of things that can trigger the onset of allergic rhinitis symptoms. Some of the most common ones are house mite dust, animals (but particularly cats), mould and grasses and pollen. As spring is the primetime for pollination, this can be the most diffi cult period of the year for people trying to manage moderate to severe allergic rhinitis. One of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to allergic rhinitis is who is most likely to suffer from this frustrating condition? Well the simple answer is allergic rhinitis is a disease that can manifest at any time, however it commonly develops in childhood and has strong associations to asthma and allergic conjunctivitis. So if you suffered from asthma as a child, then you may fi nd yourself battling the symptoms of allergic rhinitis at some stage in your life. The symptoms of allergic rhinitis can often be debilitating and the general rule is that if you suffer with the symptoms of allergic rhinitis for more than three days of the week, on average, or if it is interfering with school, work or sleep, then it should be treated. The good news is that there are many treatments available for allergic rhinitis, meaning sufferers can manage the condition. Aside from completely avoiding grass and pollen (a pain-free fi x, albeit rather impractical), there is a choice of medications, surgery, desensitisation therapy or a combination of these to keep the symptoms of allergic rhinitis at bay. GENERAL Have you just spent the past three months itching, sneezing, blowing your nose and tearing your hair out in frustration? Then you might just be suffering from allergic rhinitis. Commonly referred to as hayfever, allergic rhinitis is an immune mediated condition where patients have an allergy to something they are exposed to in the environment. When people with allergic rhinitis come in contact with the allergycausing substance, then the symptoms of allergic rhinitis present HEALTH Medications can be broken down into the following categories: Oral Antihistamines There are many oral antihistamines available either over the counter or with a prescription, which are very effective at controlling allergic rhinitis during allergy season. These new medications do not make you drowsy like some of the older style antihistamines and can be safely taken in the morning to help you get through your day as normal. Nasal Steroids These are a mainstay of long-term treatment for allergic rhinitis. Due to their effectiveness at decreasing immune response to allergen exposure, nasal steroids are a popular form of treatment for allergic rhinitis. Nasal Antihistamine In order for nasal antihistamines to work successfully, you must take them immediately before being exposed to the allergen that causes your allergic rhinitis symptoms, as well as taking the medication multiple times per day. Therefore, you must know what products trigger your allergic rhinitis. This can be achieved by undergoing an allergy test – ask your GP for more details. Nasal Wash Using a non-medicated saline nasal wash/rinse can help to get rid of any type of product sitting inside the nostrils which may be the cause or persistent allergic rhinitis. Surgery If none of the above options are giving you any relief, there are some surgical options available to you, which have been proven to give a long lasting result. The most frequently prescribed surgery is a septoplasty with turbinoplasty. If you feel medications are not aiding in the management of your allergic rhinitis, you should consider consulting an ENT (ear, nose, throat) surgeon to assess whether you may be a good candidate for surgery. Desensitisation Undertaking desensitisation requires either a sublingual or subcutaneous approach. Sublingual immunotherapy (oral desensitisation) involves placing drops under the tongue on a daily basis to slowly lessen the allergic response to a specifi c allergen. Subcutaneous desensitisation (allergen immunotherapy) involves administering increasing doses of allergens to accustom the body to substances that are generally harmless (pollen, house dust mites) and thereby induce specifi c long-term tolerance. Densensitisation is very effective at decreasing the frequency and severity of allergic rhinitis symptoms but requires a signifi cant time commitment in order to see results. If you need help managing your allergic rhinitis, we recommend discussing these issue with your GP who may be able to help you, or refer you to a specialist for further treatment. pm pindaramagazine.com.au Pindara Magazine 29
Pindara Private Hospital Magazine - Issue One
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