Allergic rhinitis


Should people with allergic rhinitis avoid certain foods?
Patients with allergic rhinitis need to avoid certain foods. Allergic rhinitis is a common otolaryngological disease, mainly caused by the patient's exposure to allergens in food or air, leading to acute edema and congestion of the nasal mucosa. Allergens can be varied, including dust mites and pollen in the air, as well as foods like seafood, fish, and shrimp. Therefore, if allergic rhinitis is caused by food allergens, especially fish and seafood, patients should be cautious and avoid consuming these foods in daily life. Additionally, patients should also reduce the intake of spicy and irritating foods, as these may also exacerbate and cause recurrent allergic rhinitis.


How to deal with allergic rhinitis?
Allergic rhinitis occurs due to reduced immunity and resistance when the nasal cavity inhales relevant allergens. Allergens may include dust, pollen, mites, and the direct stimulation of cold and warm air, leading to symptoms in patients such as bilateral nasal congestion, paroxysmal sneezing and nasal discharge after waking. Upon examination, bilateral pale, swollen inferior turbinates can be found, and the prick test is positive. In terms of treatment, patients first need to visit a hospital to check for allergens and identify the substances they are allergic to, while also avoiding these allergens as much as possible and wearing masks. During the acute phase, patients also need to take some anti-allergy medications orally. When the patient moves past the acute phase and enters the remission phase, it is necessary to exercise to enhance their immunity and resistance, which gradually leads to the recovery from allergic rhinitis. (The use of medication should be under the guidance of a doctor.)


Allergic rhinitis typical symptoms
Allergic rhinitis is caused by the body's immunity and lower resistance after inhaling relevant allergens in the nasal cavity. Allergens can include mites, dust, pollen, and direct stimulation by cold and warm air, which can cause patients to have paroxysmal sneezing upon waking up. Typically, there are more than three sneezes, and in severe cases, dozens can occur. There is also continuous discharge of clear watery nasal mucus, bilateral nasal congestion, which alternates from side to side. During examination, evident pale swelling of the bilateral inferior turbinates can be found, and the surface may be covered with abnormal secretions. In treatment, allergic rhinitis firstly requires symptomatic antiallergic treatment and, most crucially, patients need to regularly exercise to enhance their immunity and resistance, for allergic rhinitis to gradually improve.


Where is a good place to massage for allergic rhinitis?
Allergic rhinitis is a common and frequent disease in clinical practice. It is caused by a diminished resistance of the body to certain dust, cold air, or other food allergens, leading to nasal mucosal edema and the discharge of clear nasal fluid. Commonly, we can alleviate some of the clinical symptoms of allergic rhinitis through massage techniques. During massage, we generally target specific acupoints. We can massage the Yingxiang acupoints on both sides of the nose, as well as the Shangyingxiang acupoints above Yingxiang. We can also massage the Yintang acupoint, and some local facial acupoints like Dicang. Of course, we can massage some distal acupoints that enhance resistance, such as Zusanli and Guanyuan acupoints, which can help to improve the body's resistance and serve therapeutic and preventive functions for allergic rhinitis.


Allergic rhinitis is like this.
Allergic rhinitis is primarily caused by the inhalation of allergens into the nasal cavity after the body's immunity and resistance has decreased, leading to acute, allergic symptoms. Patients may experience paroxysmal sneezing, generally more than three sneezes, and in severe cases, up to dozens. Symptoms also include itchy nose, itchy eyes, bilateral nasal congestion, and a large amount of worm-like secretions flowing from the nasal cavity. During the examination with a nasal endoscope, pale and swollen nasal concha mucous membranes can be observed on both sides with positive prick tests. In the middle and common nasal passages, abnormal secretions can cover the area. For treatment, allergic rhinitis initially requires hospital examination for allergens, while also avoiding allergens, and taking oral anti-allergy medications. Additionally, patients are advised to engage in physical activities such as swimming and running to enhance immunity and resistance, which can lead to gradual improvement.


Early symptoms of allergic rhinitis
The symptoms of allergic rhinitis are numerous, with common ones including repeated itching of the nose, runny nose, and sneezing. Some patients may also experience nasal congestion and itchy eyes. Therefore, upon experiencing these symptoms, one should visit an otolaryngology clinic and consider undergoing a nasal endoscopy and allergen test to identify specific allergens and assess the degree of inflammation. Generally, treatment can involve oral medication and nasal spray medications. Additionally, using saline solution to rinse the nasal passages can be helpful during treatment, requiring regular follow-up to monitor treatment effectiveness. Moreover, it is necessary to avoid contact with substances that are likely to cause allergies as much as possible. Most patients can gradually stabilize with timely treatment.


Does allergic rhinitis cause coughing?
Allergic rhinitis can cause symptoms of coughing, as the allergens that patients come into contact with lead to hypersensitivity in the upper airways, triggering bronchospasm. Thus, patients experience irritative coughing and related phenomena. For coughs caused by allergic rhinitis, the primary treatment involves the use of anti-allergy medications. In daily life, it is first necessary to avoid contact with allergens, and allergen testing can be conducted to identify the specific allergens affecting the patient. Additionally, during episodes of allergic rhinitis, patients should use antihistamines, leukotriene inhibitors, and steroid nasal sprays to control the episodes of allergic rhinitis and reduce the symptoms of coughing. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)


How to diagnose allergic rhinitis?
Allergic rhinitis is a relatively common otolaryngological disease, with numerous clinical symptoms. The most common symptoms are itchy nose, clear runny nose, and sneezing. In terms of examination, an allergen test can first be conducted to help identify the specific types of allergens. Currently, a skin prick test or blood test can be considered; both methods can determine the specific allergens. In daily life, it is necessary to avoid these as much as possible. Secondly, a nasopharyngoscope examination should be conducted. Through the nasopharyngoscope examination, the extent of the inflammatory response inside the nasal cavity can be determined. At the same time, it also helps to investigate other diseases in the nasal cavity or nasopharynx.


Differences between Allergic Rhinitis and the Common Cold
The differences between allergic rhinitis and the common cold are very clear. Allergic rhinitis lasts longer and causes patients to experience sudden bouts of sneezing in the morning, continuous clear nasal discharge, bilateral nasal congestion, and also includes symptoms such as itchy eyes and nasal issues. On the other hand, the common cold generally lasts for a shorter period and is usually caused by a virus or bacteria due to lowered immunity, leading to both systemic and local symptoms. Patients with a cold may experience fever, dizziness, headache, muscle weakness, muscle soreness, nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose, sore throat, and coughing. In terms of treatment, allergic rhinitis requires symptomatic anti-allergy treatment, while the common cold needs symptomatic anti-inflammatory treatment and generally improves gradually over about a week, whereas allergic rhinitis requires a longer process.


Where to apply moxibustion for allergic rhinitis?
Allergic rhinitis is a common clinical disease. Apart from medication, we can also use moxibustion to enhance the body's resistance and reduce local congestion of the nasal mucosa in allergic rhinitis, achieving the purpose of disease prevention and treatment. Where do we usually apply moxibustion? If it involves distant moxibustion, it usually targets acupuncture points that enhance the body's resistance, such as Zusanli and Guanyuan, which are very effective points. Moxibustion can also be applied to Xuehai. Additionally, we can moxibust certain local points such as Yingxiang and Yintang to relieve nasal congestion and alleviate clinical symptoms like swelling of the nasal mucosa. Of course, moxibustion can also be applied to some points on the back related to the lungs, including lung meridian points and Gaohuang, all of which are effective in treating and preventing allergic rhinitis.