The love and hate between allergic rhinitis and colds

I kept sneezing and having a runny nose during the exam and failed!

I get a stuffy nose and runny nose when there’s a little wind. How can I go out and see people? It’s so painful!

Nasal congestion, difficulty breathing, and lack of oxygen!

Why do I always catch colds? I have taken so many medicines but they don’t get better. It turns out that I was taking the wrong medicine and my rhinitis was flaring up.

Even going out without toilet paper is as insecure as not wearing any clothes...

Sneezing, nasal congestion, runny nose, when these symptoms appear in the body, our first reaction is often that we have a cold, and then we take medicine and rest according to the treatment method for colds, but after a few days, the symptoms appear again, and they never get better. At this time, you need to be alert, because this may not be a cold, but allergic rhinitis. So, how to judge whether it is a cold or rhinitis?

1. Do you have a fever?

Cold: Fever may occur at the same time as a cold

Allergic rhinitis: does not cause fever

2. Do your symptoms last for more than 7-10 days?

Cold: usually no more than 7-10

Allergic rhinitis: Symptoms may last for weeks or months

3. Do your eyes and nose itch?

Cold: No symptoms

Allergic rhinitis: symptoms

4. Are your symptoms seasonal?

Colds: No seasonality

Allergic rhinitis: Symptoms often occur at the same time every year

Why do I get rhinitis when the seasons change from spring to autumn?

This is a symptom of allergic rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis refers to an allergic reaction in a specific group of people after they come into contact with allergens, showing a series of typical nasal symptoms, including paroxysmal sneezing, a lot of clear nasal discharge, nasal congestion and nasal itching, and some are accompanied by decreased sense of smell. Allergic rhinitis is divided into three types: seasonal, perennial, and intermittent. Perennial allergic rhinitis has no obvious seasonality and may occur when you get up in the morning, encounter cold or warm air, or dust. Here is a reminder: Never ignore allergic rhinitis, it will increase the risk of asthma by 3 times, and rhinitis often develops first and then develops into asthma. Therefore, patients with allergic rhinitis should stay away from allergens and actively treat and control the onset of rhinitis.

Should I check for allergens in allergic rhinitis?

Some people say that it is useless to check for allergens. In fact, "it is useless to check" means that some allergens cannot be eliminated even if they are detected, but some allergens, such as milk, shrimp and crab, can be eliminated. So, what is the specific use of allergen screening?

First, allergen screening can find the type of allergen and determine whether it is seasonal or perennial allergy;
Secondly, avoid possible allergenic factors in life, such as animal hair, mites, milk, shrimps and crabs;
Finally, desensitization treatment can be used for certain specific types of allergens.

If you have a child with allergic rhinitis, what issues should parents pay attention to?

Children are in the growth and development stage, with low resistance, narrow nasal cavity and nasal passages, and underdeveloped sinuses, which makes them prone to rhinitis. If not treated in time, facial features are easily deformed, and nasal discomfort will affect sleep and diet, and have adverse effects on memory and concentration. So, if you have a child with rhinitis at home, in addition to taking the child for treatment in time, what other issues should you pay attention to in daily life?

1. Stay away from allergens

Keep the room ventilated and clean, avoid contact with allergens, and if you have pets at home, be sure to keep them clean.

2. Eat less allergenic foods and drink more water

Try to avoid feeding your children foods that may cause allergies, such as marine fish, shrimps, eggs, etc., and let them drink less sugary drinks and more water.

3. Improving physical fitness is the key

Parents should not keep their children at home all the time to protect them. Instead, they should let them go out more often to exercise and enhance their immunity so as to stay away from harm fundamentally.

4. Wash your face with cold water

You can guide your children to wash their faces with cold water starting in the summer, so that their skin is frequently stimulated by cold water, which increases local blood circulation and keeps their nasal respiratory tract unobstructed.

5. Nose exercises

Use the sides of your two thumbs to rub the skin on both sides of the nose alternately up and down, and rub until the local skin feels warm each time.

6. Seek medical attention promptly

If the symptoms of nasal congestion and sneezing do not improve or even worsen, you need to go to a specialist hospital in time for treatment. Do not blindly try folk remedies.