HEALTH Woes of the nose: Allergic rhinitis

Woes of the nose


The first of a three-part series of articles on allergic rhinitis – perennial and seasonal (hay fever) – and how to tackle it.

Herbal Medicine
Sabine Hiller

Sneezing, runny nose, congestion, itchy and streaming eyes – these are all signs that the nasal passages are inflamed. The medical term for this uncomfortable is rhinitis. Most of us only get rhinitis in conjunction with the common cold, but many others will have to deal with these symptoms every spring or summer in response to pollen from trees, grasses and weeds – so-called seasonal rhinitis, or hay fever. Others suffer from rhinitis all year round.
While in some cases chronic rhinitis may be due to certain drugs or medical conditions, in the majority it will be due to allergies – so-called perennial allergic rhinitis. The allergic triggers in such cases include dust mites (or rather their ‘products’), cockroach allergen, mould, cat and dog hairs or other animal dander.
This and the next two articles will deal with allergic rhinitis, and given the time of year I will particularly focus on the seasonal variety – hay fever.

Causes
So, why do some people get allergic rhinitis it and others don’t? There are several determining factors. The condition is more common in people living in polluted areas, people with a family history of allergy, children born during peak pollen season, first-born children, children exposed to cigarette smoke during their first year, children given formula in infancy, families from higher socio-economic classes.
On the upside, it is less common in people who were exposed to common community infections as a child – for example, children who come from large families or who attend day-care centres at an early age. Equally, those who were NOT given antibiotics for common childhood illnesses, are less likely to suffer from allergic rhinitis.
In general, rising pollution and changes in diet as well as lifestyle are likely to have contributed to the dramatic rise in the incidence of allergies over the last 20 years.

There are several things you can do to help avoid allergies developing in your children:

• Breastfeed for as long as possible. Studies have shown that exclusive breastfeeding for the first three months protects the child against developing allergic rhinitis, whether a family history of the condition is present or not. Also, it is only at the age of six months that a baby has developed a functional, though immature, immune system that will allow it to deal with substances other than breastmilk. As food and respiratory allergies often go hand in hand, breastfeeding for at least six months is highly recommended.
• Don’t smoke around your baby (or best, stop it altogether!)
• While general hygiene is clearly important, there is no need to disinfect everything – exposing a healthy child to ordinary dirt and other children’s germs will help them develop and strengthen their immune system.
• Avoid the use of antibiotics in your children whenever possible
• Increase the intake of fruit and vegetables, especially those containing carotenoids, which have been shown to reduce the incidence of allergies in children (more on this in the next article).

Diagnosis
How do you find out if you suffer from allergic rhinitis? First of all, the symptoms will be a tell tale, and the timing of these symptoms will help to determine whether it’s the seasonal or perennial type, giving further clues as to the causes.
But if you want to know more or there is doubt as to whether it really is due to an allergy, you can be tested for IgE antibodies. Some of these tests are able to identify the offending allergens, which may help you to avoid them.

What can you do if you do suffer from hay fever or perennial rhinitis?
The next article (Tuesday, April 6) will deal with life style and dietary advice to help ease the problem, while a third one (Tuesday, April 27) will discuss herbal options.

Sabine Hiller BSc(Hons) MIIMH MNIMH – is a qualified professional medical herbalist based in Westport. She is a member of the Irish Institute of Medical Herbalists and the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (UK). She can be contacted at 098 35909.