Do you find yourself or one of your family member experiencing uncalled-for nasal congestion, runny nose, nasal itching, sneezing quite frequently? Then it is about time you get yourself or that family member checked for Allergic Rhinitis. Well, as for me, even I learned about it quite recently when my husband was diagnosed with the same. I began reading about it from trusted sources and found that the problem arises due to seemingly simple factors. The very next question that popped up in my mind was whether my son could also have the same allergy, like his dad, since allergies can be hereditary. This is what I found after reading many research studies and literature available online on Allergic Rhinitis.
List of Contents
What is Allergic Rhinitis?
In a layman’s words, Allergic Rhinitis is an immune response from our body which is triggered by some allergy-causing agents or allergens. Now, even though it is a part of the defence mechanism of our body, it is troublesome. The most common kinds of allergies that we human beings have are related to nose, eyes, skin and lungs. If you observe, all of these organs are kind of working on the frontline of the body. Hence, they are more susceptible to allergies too.
In medical terms, ‘Rhine’ is used to refer to things related to the nose like rhinoplasty (nose job). So as the name suggests, Allergic Rhinitis too is related to an allergic reaction that happens in the nose. Typically, whenever any allergen enters the nose, the body reacts to push the allergen out. This is why the sneezing, runny nose and nasal itching happens.
Common allergens that cause Allergic Rhinitis:
There are typically two kinds of allergens: one that is found inside the home and the second that is found outdoors. The outdoor allergy-causing agents are environmental pollution (a major concern in India) and pollen from trees, molds, and dust. While indoors, may be your home or office, the commonly found allergens are dust, pet hairs, food, medicine, pet & human dander and more. As a matter of fact, the air inside the home is 5 times more polluted than the air outside.
Can you treat Allergic Rhinitis?
Unfortunately, Allergic Rhinitis or any other allergy is not fully treatable. However, it can be controlled or avoided by lifestyle changes. The symptoms can be cured by medicines and a long-term remission is also possible with immunotherapy.
What lifestyle changes you can make to avoid Allergic Rhinitis:
- Adding air purifying indoor plants.
- Do not smoke inside the house as kids or other family members can become allergic to it. Avoid smoking entirely.
- Regular cleaning of house and appliances like fans and air conditioners.
- While dusting, using a mask or cloth to cover the nose and mouth areas is advisable.
- If it is proven that a family member is allergic to pet hairs or dander then keeping pets should be avoided.
- Closing doors and windows on windy days so that pollen do not enter house.
Is your child at a higher risk if any of the parents have this allergy of nose?
Kids have high activity level. They cannot sit at one place while inside the home and of course, when they are playing in the garden, they are the happiest. So generally, children are more prone to catching allergies than adults. However, studies show that if any of the parents (like my husband) has Allergic Rhinitis or for that matter any kind of allergy then it is more probable that the children have the same. However, they might react to allergens differently than their parent. Especially in the case of hay fever, the chances of it being passed on by parents via genes is more.
Parting Notes:
A little child or even babies as young as 6 months old can have allergies. Being a mother, I can only imagine the helplessness young kids who are barely able to express themselves would be feeling. The ill-effects of it don’t just hamper their development but also restrict their outdoor and indoor activity levels. It is best that as responsible parents, in addition to good food, healthy home environment and vaccinations, we get the children screened for any sort of allergies as soon as possible. It is especially crucial if the wife or the husband has the same.
You can know more about allergies and their management .
Happy Healthy Living!
Disclaimer:
The views expressed in the blog content are independent and unbiased views of solely the blogger. This is a part of the public awareness initiative supported by Sanofi India. Sanofi India bears no responsibility for the content of the blog. One should consult their healthcare provider for any health-related information.
References:
These are such basic questions that we all have in our minds. Thanks for such informative blog on how to be #AllergyFree
So true for every mother it would be a nightmare if we found that our kiddo has some sort of allergy but it will be quite helpful to manage it better with expert advice.
Well I had gone through this myself and I agree that it’s not fully curable but can definitely controllable. Very informative post will definitely help people in understanding it better
How informative is this and I dodnt even know about this as a specific condition. The whole article is a must read for all and to take notice and be alert.
Its scary about how the air at home is more polluted. I make it a point to ensure cross ventilation is in place and there is adequate sunlight at home. My husband and I battle seasonal allergies and it can cripple you really badly. Thanks for this informative post. Sharing this 🙂
Pratibha, I would suggest you get your & your husband’s allergies checked. If it a pollen allergy then I would suggest shutting doors and windows when the wind blows. Also do visit the website http://www.Allergyfree.co.in for more details.
These lifestyle changes will definitely help us get rid of the allergens and ultimately become #AllergyFree
Yes, prevention is better than treatment.
100% agreed!
I do suffer from allergies so it would be a good idea to check for my little one. Also, will check the website for more details, thanks.
Yes it is very important that we get our kids screened as early as possible for any sort of allergies.
Sadly yes… Having a parent with a history of an allergy does make one genetically more prone to having an allergy too as they grow up… Have seen it directly.
Oh it is sad to know hope you are managing your allergy better now.
Allergies need a lot of awareness.Its good of you to share this for staying #Allergyfree
Thanks I agree Allergies are something we all take for granted.
Air purifying plants are a great way to keep indoors fresh and be allergy free
Yes truly they are. Of lately I have added a few of them and I can feel the freshness in the indoor air.
Sadly allergy is one of the commonest ailments I get in my clinic. And yes genetic predisposition is a causative factor too.
I had no idea Allergies could be passed down to generations. Adding Air Purifying plants is a great tip and I am going to add them to my home too.
Yes allergies are one of the most common problem nowadays and unfortunately there is no cure. Strong immune system healthy is only way to keep it in control.no doubt it is a great initiative #allergyfrew
This is really informative post. I had no idea about rhinitis. This has given me enough information about it. Sometimes you see a person falling ill quite often but don’t know that it is an allergy.
So true.. my mom had a food allergy and she used to struggle with it because she didnt know about allergy.
Your post has removed many of my doubts about Rhintis Allergy. Yes few household changes can be well taken care of for better health.
Very informative post Judy. It included all the relevant points one needs to know before going to a doctor for getting screened for the same.
Wow this was so informative. This explains so much why my mum, my sister and me all have Allergic Rhinitis. Will surely be keeping the pointers in mind and sharing them with my family too.
my husband had this for many years and we went to multiple doctors for a solution for the same. it never worked to be true.
This might have happened because allergies cannot be cured only managed. Do visit the website for more expert view.
Very informative post. My father used to sneeze a lot as in 10-12 sneezes in a row, now my brother and my daughter has same problem. Thanks to your post, I will get both of them checked by the doctor.
Thats a very informative post . I was not aware about allergic rhinitis in such details. Will surely keep a check on these symptoms.
I suffer from specific allergy but thankfully my little ones does not. Thankyou for sharing Such great tips. Found the blog post very informative
It always sadens me that allergy is inherited from one generation to another. I’ve allergy from dust and I’ll try to use mask while dusting
This is a helpful post. Allergies are definitely more of a concern now than ever before.
good tips, especially to add air purifying plants inside the house.
I was not aware of this, my cousin suffers from nose allergy now I would make him aware of this and ask to get the test done as his child might be at risk too.
Yes it is quite possible and so a test of allergy is advisable for the kid too.
There are all sorts of allergies floating in the air. I hear kids are also developing eye allergies. I have had sinus for years. What has really helped is indoor plants and steam. Thanks for this well-presented and informative blog.
Glad it was helpful for you also do check the website mentioned by me towards the end of the post as it has more expert advice.
Okay, I had no clue about this disease. This was an informative post for me. I think, allergies is something we don’t pay much heed to until it gets serious which is a really wrong thing to do.
We will be blessed with our parents genes. Sadly yes it can be inherited. Your article covers all the basics a parent needs to know. Kudos to that.
I never heard about this allergy. And sad to know there it is not fully treatable but good to know it can be controlled or avoided by lifestyle changes. Thanks for sharing this with us
Even if we dont have allergy, its good to keep indoor air purifying plants at home. Also, this is a good research you did and on time before anything happens. checking the link now.
Allergies are so common these days. This is such a detailed information that you have shared. Was not aware about it much
I have never heard of Allergic Rhinitis. Hope your hubby is taking proper medication. Allergies can be irritating and can pose greater risks if taken lightly.
My city is infamous for its allergy prone weather. This is good information on this this allergy.
My sister has this, but unfortunately I didn’t k ow it’s called Rhinitis !! She sneezes badly n gets breathless if our pet cat enters her room or dry dust particles get in through the window. She is more better in a humid place or climate (because no dry dust).
Nice to read this n get some information on it .
Sad to hear about her. Hope she is taking medical consultation for the same and you can also refer to Allergyfree.co.in
Yes I have always wondered about this. If a parent has some kind of allergy would that be passed on to a child? Thanks for this information, I am now more clear on the response to my question.
Glad you found this post useful.
There are so many kinds of allergies present in air. I had sinus issue since long but after my first delivery it has gone completely till now since 7years . This post is very helpful .
the illustration was really helpful to understand the preventive measure for allergic rhinitis. again thank you for sharing your knowledge
Glad you could benefit from the same.
I know this type of allergy and not only in India it is very common in USA also. Many of my friends complained about pollen allergy. Great and informative article.
Yes indeed this allergy is so common but very annoying if it occurs again and again.
Glad to have come across this post. People should be made aware of these allergies and its causes. I have seen my son who has this kind of allergy suffer a lot when he was small. I could have helped him cope better if i had studied about it a bit more!
My husband is allergic to pollens and it really aggravates in this season. My child who is 6 also complains son irritation in his nasal track. I have added the mentioned plants to tackle the same.