All of us might have experienced allergy at any point of time.It is also known as hay fever. Usually it represents as allergic rhinitis.
Symptoms include…
– Sneezing
– Running nose
– Congestion of nose
– Post nasal drip
– Lacrimation and redness of eyes
Some patients experience symptoms throughout the year known with perennial rhinitis.
It occurs due to allergic reactions to allergens mostly in form of pollens triggering release of histamine and inflammation cascade.
Diagnosis is purely clinical. Some prefer skin tests in form of allergen shots intradermally resulting induration showing positive responses.
Long standing allergy may lead to chronic asthma in future.
Family history of allergy is important in predicting the index of disease and its severity.
Treatment….
– Anti-histaminics have pivotal roles in treating allergic rhinitis.
– Nasal decongestants reduce nasal edema and reduce symptoms.
– Skin desensitization with allergen may decrease the sensitivity to a particular allergen.
– Some probiotics like lactobacillus acidophilus have some role in preventing recurrence of allergic symptoms.
In a nut shell, allergy is better prevented than cure. Chances of recurrence is high as bodily responses involve the immune mechanism triggering inflammation cascade.
