Evaluation of allergy & allergic rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis is an allergic reaction to tiny particles in the air called allergens. When you breathe in allergens through your nose or mouth, your body reacts by releasing a natural chemical called histamine.

Patient presents with symptoms like itching , running nose , congestion , nasal block, recurrent sneezing, itching and watering of eyes, post nasal drip. Allergic rhinitis can be perennial or seasonal in nature depending on the causative allergen responsible. In cases associated with allergy your ENT doctor may ask you for thorough history for coming to preliminary diagnosis.

In most cases, allergic rhinitis is associated with skin lesions like eczema and atopic dermatitis and asthma. The health care professional in such cases usually begin treatment with topical nasal steroidal sprays and oral anti-histamines to control symptoms followed by Skin prick test to find the causative allergen responsible for the symptoms. This is followed by treatment of specific causative allergen by preventive measures and immunotherapy.