All you need to know about Allergy Rhinitis
According to the World Health Organization, in India, nearly 1 in 3 people suffer from an allergy. However, only 35% of people actually seek treatment. Allergic rhinitis is caused by an inflammation in the nasal area. The immune system of a person suffering from respiratory allergies is sensitive and hence reacts abnormally. Allergic rhinitis occurs due to a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. The abnormalities in the immune system can lead to breathing problems and can also affect your daily life. Therefore, prevention and long-term respiratory allergy treatments are important to increase the disease-free period.
Causes of Respiratory Allergy
The primary cause of allergic rhinitis is airborne allergens. Some of the common respiratory allergens include:
- Outdoor allergens- pollens from grass or trees
- Indoor allergens- pet hair (animal dander), dust or mold
- Irritants- cigarette smoke, perfume, industrial chemicals or pollution
There is a higher chance of developing a respiratory allergy if you already have one type of allergy. Moreover, the likelihood of developing an allergy increases with repeated exposure to a particular substance.
Allergies are classified as seasonal (SAR) and perennial respiratory allergies (PAR). If you suffering from seasonal allergies, your symptoms can show up and go away around the same months each year. Seasonal allergies are mostly related to pollen. On the other hand, if you have perennial respiratory allergies then your symptoms may be more chronic. Perennial respiratory allergies persist all year-round and are caused by allergens in the air such as mold, dust mites and pet dander.
The severity of this condition varies from person to person. It can be further classified into mild and chronic allergic rhinitis. In mild cases, the symptoms do not interfere with daily activities and are almost unnoticeable. Mild allergic rhinitis symptoms last less than 4 days a week.
Whereas, in moderate to severe cases the symptoms are quite troublesome. It can affect school or work activities and daily chores.The symptoms can occur more than 4 days a week and 4 weeks a year.
Respiratory Allergy Symptoms
Whether you have mild or severe allergies, you can expect a number of symptoms that include:
- Severe ear infection
- Coughing or wheezing
- Nasal problems (sneezing, itching and mucous congestion)
- Runny nose
- Congestion in your nose and chest
- Itchy throat
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Eye problems (teary eyes, itchy eyes, burning sensation, redness and dark circles)
Allergic asthma
In mild cases of allergic rhinitis, the symptoms may go away on their own in a couple of days. However, if you experience respiratory allergy symptoms frequently, it may be an indication of the beginning of asthma. This can also aggravate other problems such as breathing difficulties, cold or flu. To assess the current state of your allergies you can take our allergy evaluation test
Conventional Respiratory Allergy Treatment
Allergic rhinitis treatment starts with avoidance and self-care. Avoidance suggests you minimize contact with potential allergens and try to reduce your exposure to known allergy triggers. Medications include oral antihistamines as a very common approach. Oral steroids work by mitigating the effects of histamines in an overly enthusiastic immune system. In addition to oral medication, nasal antihistamines are also used. This has a very fast onset and is often used as rescue therapy. However, it is important to remember that it does not affect histamines in other areas like eyes and ears, just the nose. That is why it is advised to use the oral and nasal medication in combination. There are also decongestants, to reduce chest pain due to excess mucus generation.
Most of these conventional treatment methods aim at relieving only the symptoms and can also cause side effects. The side-effects can include headaches, sinus pain, sore throat, vomiting, dry mouth, drowsiness or confusion.
A study of 200 patients suffering from hypersensitive immune system related problems such as asthma, eczema, allergic rhinitis and other allergies showed that homeopathy was as effective as conventional treatment. A majority of patients experienced an aggravation of their symptoms when they stopped the usage of conventional medicines. In comparison, only one-third of the patients in the homeopathy group experienced any aggravation. Moreover, the patients in the homeopathy group reported a 57% improvement, compared to 24% in the conventional group.
With the help of homeopathic treatment, patients also experienced a positive change in their psychological state. Homeopathic allergic rhinitis treatment can help you enjoy the outdoors, all foods and seasons without any side-effects.
Allergic rhinitis treatment in homeopathy
For lasting results, correcting the underlying problem is important and that is exactly what homeopathic treatment does. Allergic rhinitis treatment in homeopathy is natural, safe and side-effect free. It focuses on the patient’s physical, emotional and psychological well-being. It is imperative to come up with correct diagnoses as many of the allergic rhinitis symptoms can be confused with other conditions. If you suffer from any allergy symptoms such as allergy cough, our homeopathic doctors can help you get the best treatment. The doctor will make a note of physical and psychological symptoms. These symptoms can help determine if you have a respiratory allergy and also help identify your allergy triggers. For long-lasting relief to patients suffering from allergies, the homeopathic treatments are individualized.
At Dr Batra's®, the homeopathic doctor uses the medical science of homeopathy to plan an individualized treatment. This plan incorporates homeopathic medicines for allergies and lifestyle tips for the complete recovery of the patient. Over the last 35 years, Dr Batra's® has successfully treated over 30 thousand patients with respiratory disorders. As authenticated by the American Quality Assessors, Dr Batra’s® has a success rate of 96.3% in treating respiratory problems including allergic rhinitis. To get an individualized, effective and safe treatment for all your allergies, book an appointment with us: www.drbatras.com/book-an-appointment
Here are some of the self-care tips to help you better manage your respiratory allergies:
Honey and lemon- Mix 2 tsp of honey and lemon juice in a cup of warm waterto relieve nasal congestions effectively and also soothe the irritated throat.
Warm water and salt- Gargle using 1/2 tsp of salt with one cup of water to help soothe a scratchy throat and allergy cough
Ginger- Mix raw ginger with honey or you can also mix it with warm water.It helps relieve a sore throat and relaxes the tightened airways.
Probiotics- While probiotics don’t help relieve respiratory allergies directly, they help support the immune system. A healthy immune system can help ease respiratory problems and reduce the severity of the symptoms.
In addition, keep the common areas of your home and workplace clean, wash your hands frequently and stay hydrated.It would be perfect if you could avoid allergens but that’s next to impossible. Therefore, it is best to take self care measures and choose a safe method of treatment.
