Rhinitis, which is an inflammation of
the nasal mucosa with increased mucus production, is a common
chronic condition.
Generally believed to be a natural response to the deposit of
allergens in the nasal passage, a significant percentage, about 30 ?
50% of patients, suffer from rhinitis of a non-allergic cause.
There are several types of
non-allergic rhinitis; vasomotor, hormonal-induced, drug-induced,
irritant-induced and many others. Especially common after the age
of 20, patients with non-allergic rhinitis typically complain of
nasal congestion or a runny nose and rarely have significant
sneezing or pruritis (itching). Non-allergic rhinitis usually
affects only the nose and no evidence of a link with family history
has been revealed to date.
However, unlike allergic rhinitis,
the underlying causes of non-allergic rhinitis are quite variable
and not as well understood. Triggers of non-allergic rhinitis can
include environmental irritants such as odors, smoke, and even
changes in weather and barometric pressure. Interestingly, patients
with non-allergic rhinitis can also have concurrent allergic and
non-allergic rhinitis.
Rhinitis of an allergic cause usually
affects patients with a genetic predisposition and the ability to
become sensitized to airborne allergens such as ragweed, tree
pollen, grass pollen, dust mites, cat or dog, that trigger
allergic symptoms. Allergic rhinitis usually emerges at a young age
in patients with a strong family history of atopy, a term used to
describe a group of patients who have a personal or family history
of one or more of the following conditions: hay fever (allergic
rhinitis), asthma, and eczema.
Allergic rhinitis can be purely
seasonal or year round depending on the offending
allergens. Symptoms of allergic rhinitis include nasal congestion
and/or rhinorrhea (runny nose) accompanied by nasal itching,
sneezing, as well as itchy and watery eyes.
Luckily, with a detailed history,
physical examination and with the help of skin testing, your
physician can easily differentiate allergic and non-allergic
rhinitis so that the appropriate treatment can be initiated.
