Many residents of certain regions and cities in the world complain of allergic rhinitis, whose symptoms appear in the form of a runny or stuffy nose with nasal itching and sneezing. How to prevent it? And what is the treatment? Dr. Ibtihaj Saleh Gharib, Consultant Otolaryngologist, responds to this...
Many residents of certain regions and cities in the world complain of allergic rhinitis, whose symptoms appear in the form of a runny or stuffy nose with nasal itching and sneezing.
How to prevent it? And what is the treatment?
Dr. Ibtihaj Saleh Gharib, a consultant otolaryngologist and allergic rhinologist, a fellow of the British College of Otolaryngology and a member of the American Academy and the Saudi Otolaryngology Society, says: “It is known that Jeddah is a coastal city that is very humid in most seasons. This feature makes it easier for biological irritants to multiply indoors and outdoors.” These irritants of all kinds cause several forms of allergic reactions, but the most famous of them are:
Seasonal allergies, which start during certain seasons (from spring to fall) which are the breeding seasons of plants, whether weeds, flowers or trees, and the most important symptom of which is a runny nose.
Non-seasonal allergies, which persist throughout the year, and one of the most important symptoms of nasal obstruction.
Allergens take many forms, including
Fungi of all kinds, and their reproduction increases in humid climates.
House dust “bugs” need a temperature of at least 25 degrees Celsius and a humidity of about 80 percent, so they spread widely from mid-summer to the end. Bed bugs feed on dead cells that fall from the human body during sleep, so we find it in abundance in bed mattresses, furniture, and bedroom mattresses.
Some animals and birds, such as poultry, cats, dogs, sheep, rabbits, and horses, may cause allergic reactions.
Some types of medicines, we find that some people are allergic to aspirin, for example, of which there is little in the widespread food cans.
Insects, such as cockroaches and others, may cause irritation of the mucous membranes, which leads to the continuation of allergy symptoms throughout the year.
How does nasal allergy start?
The irritant reaches a large amount on the mucous membranes lining the nose during frequent periods, causing several reactions in the nasal mucosa, which leads to an increase in the number of antibodies in the mucous membranes as a natural reaction from the healthy body, but in large quantities.
When a person is exposed to the irritant again in a much smaller amount than the first time, it results in the secretion of a huge amount of type E antibodies, and these bodies in turn interact with some cells specialized in resistance and destroy them, resulting in the leakage of histamine from the destroyed cells, and this substance ( In addition to other similar substances) that cause symptoms of allergies such as (irritability, itching, runny nose, enlargement of the nasal corneas and sneezing).
Allergy is diagnosed and the irritant is identified by conducting several allergy tests, some of which are percutaneous, and some are done by taking a sample of the patient''s blood to estimate the presence of antibodies.
treatment
First: Stay away from nasal irritants as much as possible, by doing the following
No exposure to dust.
Keep away from poultry, animals and domestic birds.
Get rid of the pile rugs and replace them with smooth tiles or marble.
Clean air conditioners regularly.
Use soft or metallic curtains instead of velvet curtains.
Change bed sheets and pillows regularly and sterilize them.
Use special sprays in bedrooms to get rid of bed bugs and bed sheets.
Stop using allergy-causing drugs such as aspirin and others.
Stay away from chemical irritants such as chlorox, flash, strong perfumes and incense.
Second: Cleaning the nose with a salt solution to get rid of nasal irritants stuck in the mucous membranes.
Third: Use a preventive nasal spray of the type “sodium cromoglycate” before the start of the allergy season (for people who suffer from seasonal allergies).
Fourth: The use of anti-allergic drugs of many types, including topical, in the form of nasal sprays, and some of them are taken in the form of tablets orally.
Fifth: Oral use of cortisone pills, and this method is not given until after making sure that the patient is free of some diseases that may worsen when using this treatment, such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
It should also be given only by a specialist and for a limited time.
Sixth: Surgical operations, including
Cauterization or partial resection of the nasal corneas, in order to remove nasal obstruction.
Cutting the nerve related to the nasal reactions, but this method has not been proven to be effective in the long term.
Seventh: Desensitization This method is only useful when the irritant is known, and when there are a limited number of irritants.
Also, this method should not be performed during pregnancy or during an acute asthma attack.
It should also be noted that this method interferes with the use of some pressure medications and adrenaline.
The vaccine may also cause severe anaphylactic shock.
Therefore, it is prohibited to perform this method except in a very specialized clinic that contains all means of vital resuscitation, and only by a specialized doctor.
Finally, we must note that the treatment of nasal allergies depends first and foremost on the patient’s cooperation with the doctor in following the methods of prevention, and then taking the correct treatment, according to the doctor’s instructions.
