Perennial Allergic Rhinitis

With well over 35 million Americans suffering from perennial allergic rhinitis it is imperative to understand this allergy, learn about the symptoms and most importantly finding preventive methods to be symptom free. It is simply put as an overreaction from our body’s natural defense system.

Perennial allergic rhinitis is very similar to hay fever, but it is an indoor allergy as opposed to hay fever being mainly an outdoor allergy. It is an allergic reaction to indoor allergens that get into our upper respiratory system and gets lodged within our throat, sinus, nose and sometimes our eyes. Our immune system then reacts to the intruder as a harmful substance and calls on our immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody.

These antibodies build up in numbers and then wait to detect another encounter with the known allergen. These antibodies are very specific. One type of antibody is produced by the body for each type of allergen.

Once they detect the presence of the allergen, they send a signal to mast cells and basophil cells to release their chemical. This process is known as degranulation.

The most well known chemical to be released is histamine, but there are many different kinds of chemicals that are released. These chemicals are what causes the irritation, swelling, sneezing, and itching. When the allergen is no longer present (avoidance), the chemicals go away also and is absorbed by the body.

Symptoms of Perennial Allergic Rhinitis

The symptoms of both seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis are to all intents and purposes the same and include the following:

• runny nose
• watery eyes that itch
• sneezing
• post nasal drip
• congestion
• fatigue
• headaches
• loss of sense of smell
• loss of sense of taste
• dark circles (allergic shiner) under the eyes
• mental dullness and fatigue
• making asthma symptoms worse

Many of these symptoms can also be mistaken for other medical problems such as the common cold or sinusitis. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist for several days or start to interfere with your daily life, make an appointment with your doctor. This will allow him to perform a complete test on your allergies and offer you an accurate diagnosis.

Who is at Risk for Perennial Allergic Rhinitis?

At some point in everyone’s life, they will have some problems with allergies or have an allergic reaction to something. And allergies are so diverse that they can range from small and annoying to sudden and life threatening. Many times an allergic reaction may not even happen the first time you are exposed to something that you are allergic to. For instance, perhaps you are allergic to latex, but had no reaction to the first medical exam you had with someone wearing latex gloves.

While in reality anyone can be subject to perennial rhinitis, there are some factors that make certain people more likely to be affected than others. One of the biggest risk factors of all is having a family history of any form of allergies. Men are more likely to get allergies and therefore are at a higher risk than women.

If you have other allergies, such as food allergies, you are at risk for developing this particular form of rhinitis. Smokers are subject to any number of allergies, but those who are exposed to secondhand smoke within the first year of life are at high risk of developing perennial allergic rhinitis. And living or working within an environment that exposes you to allergens, such as animal dander, foods, dust mites, and mold have a higher risk of developing the symptoms of perennial allergic rhinitis.

What Causes Perennial Allergic Rhinitis?

In much of the same way as pollen is the root cause of hay fever or seasonal allergic rhinitis; there are very specific causes of PAR (Perennial Allergic Rhinitis). The difference is that all of the allergens responsible are found mainly indoors instead of outdoors like pollen. They can be found in your home, at work, or in many other buildings and include:

• Pollen
• Pet Dander
• Pet urine
• Mold
• Dust Mites
• Poor Indoor Air Quality
• Cockroaches
• Houseplants
• Cigarette Smoke
• Anti-inflammatory drugs
• Foods

As you can see, the list is long and this is only a selection of the most common causes. In many cases people find themselves allergic to more than one thing.

Discovering Your Allergies

The best way to find out what is causing allergic rhinitis is to talk to your doctor about undergoing a complete set of allergy tests. In most cases, your physician will send you to see an allergist who will perform a skin test. This test consists of applying a variety of the most common allergens to your skin. This is done using what is known as the scratch test. Each allergen is applied by lightly scratching your skin with a needle.

After a wait of approximately 20 minute or so, the allergist will check each scratch for signs of an allergic reaction. It may take several trips to get the most accurate results, but when you are done, you will have a much better idea of where your allergies lie. From here you will be able to take the appropriate steps to eliminate those items that are the cause of your perennial allergic rhinitis from your life and seek the right treatment plan that keeps you allergy free.

Go to the allergic rhinitis HOME PAGE from perennial allergic rhinitis.

Back to Top