In spring, there is a high incidence of various allergic diseases
Some friends arrive in the spring
Nasal congestion and runny nose are often present
Many people can't tell the difference
Whether it's a cold or rhinitis
Thought it was a cold
As a result, taking medicine did not help
Actually, you can't take medicine indiscriminately
If you mistake rhinitis for a cold treatment
That's really incurable!
How to tell the difference between rhinitis and cold?
How can allergic rhinitis be relieved?
What to do about frequent nasal congestion?
Tell you in one article!
Rhinitis = allergic rhinitis?
01
The causes vary
#鼻炎
Rhinitis is inflammation of the nasal mucosa and submucosal tissues. In terms of the severity of the onset and the duration of the disease, it can be divided into acute rhinitis and chronic rhinitis. Common causes are: (1) viral infections, mainly rhinoviruses and coronaviruses, (2) allergen irritants, such as dust mites, pollen, animal fur or dander, fungi, cockroaches, etc., (3) physical factors, such as sudden temperature changes, cold air, humidity, air pollution, etc., (4) mental factors, such as nervousness, fear, frustration, resentment, etc.
#过敏性鼻炎
Allergic rhinitis refers to rhinitis caused by allergen stimulation and belongs to a special type of rhinitis.
02
Symptoms are different
# Rhinitis
People who suffer from rhinitis usually experience symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, etc. In addition to nasal symptoms, sore throat, headache, fever and other manifestations can also occur, which lasts for 7~10 days. Physical examination reveals nasal mucosal hyperemia, edema, watery discharge, mild pharyngeal congestion, and chest examination is mostly unremarkable.
# Allergic rhinitis
In addition to nasal congestion, runny nose and sneezing, allergic rhinitis is often accompanied by symptoms such as itchy eyes, tearing, eczema, asthma, sinusitis, nosebleeds, otitis media, etc., and the onset is more than a fixed time every year. Physical examination reveals pallor, edema, and watery nasal discharge.
Can't tell the difference between rhinitis and cold?
Many people can't tell whether they have a cold or rhinitis, nasal congestion, headache, nasal itching, sneezing, runny nose and other rhinitis symptoms are very similar to colds, many patients encounter acute rhinitis and mistakenly think that they have a cold, and have been treating it as a cold. Nasal congestion from a cold generally lasts for a short time, and if you have long-term nasal congestion, you should actively look for the cause and go to a regular hospital for treatment to avoid delaying the condition.
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01
duration
The duration of cold is generally 7~10 days, and the longest is not more than two weeks, and the course of allergic rhinitis will be different depending on the type, and it will generally be more than two weeks.
02
Nasal ocular symptoms
Colds present with mild or moderate sneezing, yellowish nasal discharge, and no eye or skin irritation, while allergic rhinitis presents with more pronounced sneezing, watery runny nose, itchy eyes, and itchy skin.
03
Systemic symptoms
Colds generally have symptoms such as fever, loss of appetite, and muscle aches, while allergic rhinitis has no systemic symptoms such as fever.
What are the causes of rhinitis?
The causes of rhinitis are mainly divided into local causes, systemic causes, and environmental factors.
01
Local causes
Acute rhinitis recurs or is not completely treated to evolve into chronic rhinitis, adjacent chronic inflammatory irritation or deformities such as chronic sinusitis, chronic tonsillitis, adenoid hypertrophy, nasal septum deviation, foreign body and tumor cause poor nasal ventilation or obstruct drainage, so that pathogens are easy to remain in the nasal cavity, improper nasal medication or excessive prolongation, resulting in drug rhinitis.
02
Systemic causes
Common ones include anemia, poor blood sugar control in diabetic patients, hypothyroidism, long-term constipation, reserpine in patients with hypertension, late pregnancy, vitamin deficiency, etc.
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03
environmental factors
For example, long-term inhalation of various dusts, such as coal, rock, cement, flour, lime, etc., damages the function of the nasal mucosa, in addition, people in the environment with rapid changes in temperature and humidity such as steelmaking, baking, freezing and other workshops are also prone to this disease.
Can chronic rhinitis be cured?
As a chronic disease, chronic rhinitis is difficult to cure, and it is impossible to cure it in a day or two or by taking some medicine, but if the cause can be found and actively treated, the frequency of attacks can be reduced. Rhinitis is a large family, with many members, different faces, and a variety of realizations, and its treatment focuses on the cause, symptom and prevention.
Treatment of causes: If some causes of rhinitis can be found, these causes can be treated, and the treatment effect will be more obvious.
Symptomatic treatment: Treat symptoms such as nasal congestion, sneezing, and runny nose.
Prevention of recurrence: regular life, exercise, quitting smoking and alcohol, enhancing nutrition, improving immunity, etc.
How to control recurrence of rhinitis?
Since chronic rhinitis and allergic rhinitis are difficult to cure, the main focus in the treatment process is to control the disease and prevent recurrence.
01
Be proactive in prevention
In the treatment of chronic rhinitis, the first thing is to actively exercise, eat a reasonable diet, improve resistance, improve the living and working environment, and avoid the stimulation of various harmful factors, including air pollution, smoking, etc. Patients with allergic rhinitis should pay attention to dust and mites, do not keep pets, and avoid contact with allergens.
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02
drug therapy
Commonly used therapeutic drugs include intranasal topical glucocorticoids, which can be used for a long time according to the doctor's guidance, and have good efficacy and safety. In addition, nasal irrigation with saline can be used to clean the nasal passages.
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03
Surgical treatment
If there is a severe structural abnormality of the nasal cavity, such as a deviated septum that causes recurrent rhinitis flares, surgical correction may be considered.
In summary, patients can effectively avoid the recurrence of rhinitis by providing active, standardized and meticulous care and treatment.
What to do about frequent nasal congestion?
First of all, it is necessary to clarify what causes nasal congestion, and only by clarifying the cause can we treat the cause and relieve the root cause of the disease.
Friends with allergic rhinitis should avoid contact with allergens. Common inhalation allergens are pollen, dust, dust mites, animal dander, etc. But don't think that only airborne allergens can cause rhinitis attacks, and food allergens such as fish, shrimp, crab, peanuts, milk, and eggs that we eat may also aggravate rhinitis. If you can't find the allergen, you need to wear a mask, change your underwear and bedding frequently, and don't keep pets, blankets, or change recipes at home. In fact, patients with allergic rhinitis should go to the hospital to screen for allergens and prevent them in a targeted manner.
01
Warm compresses
Applying a hot and moist towel to your nose for 10 minutes can relieve nasal congestion to some extent.
02
Lying on your side
The left nasal congestion is placed on the right side, and the right nasal congestion is placed on the left side.
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03
Acupressure
Use the index fingers and fingertips of both hands to rub the upper and upper incense on both sides for 1~2 minutes.
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04
Foot bathing
For patients with physical deficiency and cold, it is recommended to soak the feet with ginger slices and Evodia, maintain the water temperature at about 40 °C, last for 10~20 minutes, and the water depth is best above the ankle joint and below the knee joint.
There are often some "miracle medicines" on the market that "nasal congestion can be cleared with a drop", most of which are drugs that constrict the blood vessels of the nasal mucosa, and temporarily reduce edema and quickly relieve symptoms through vasoconstriction. Long-term use of such drugs cannot be cured, and the temporarily contracted nasal mucosa will rebound and become congested, and even swelling is worse than before the medication, aggravating nasal congestion and bringing more trouble to the body. Therefore, do not self-medicate.
The above is only for popular science knowledge
It is not intended as a specific opinion
Source: Wuhan Union Medical College Hospital
Producer: Sun Hui, Wang Jiliang
Source: Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Editing and production: Chen Youwei
Reviewer: Nie Wenwen