Cold winter weather is approaching, and it's likely that people will be spending more time indoors. If you frequently suffer from nasal allergies, late autumn and winter can be particularly challenging times for managing them. Just when you think you've escaped pollen, grass, and tree allergens, being indoors this winter also poses a threat to your nasal health.
### Nasal Allergies at a Glance
For many individuals, nasal allergies are a common disorder that often begin in childhood and persist into adulthood. Nasal allergy is also referred to as rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis, a specific type of rhinitis, is caused by IgE-mediated inflammation of the nasal lining. In short, there is nasal inflammation during episodes of allergic rhinitis. There are two types of allergic rhinitis: seasonal and perennial. Seasonal allergic rhinitis affects a person only during certain seasons when they are highly sensitive, such as spring. However, many people suffer from perennial rhinitis all year round. Some individuals experience both types.
### Causes of Nasal Allergies
The most common allergens that people are allergic to include pollen, weeds, grass, trees, animal dander, and dust. Allergy sufferers may be highly sensitive to pollen, grass, and trees during the summer, but in late autumn, ragweed (bitterweed, bloodweed) can also cause problems. Then comes winter, which may exacerbate congestion in the nasal and sinus passages. While mold spores and dust mites thrive in hot weather, the dry air during winter dries out the sinuses, making allergy patients prone to sinus infections. It's worth noting that food allergies have no direct link to allergic rhinitis, or if they do, it's very rare.
### Symptoms of Nasal Allergies
Nasal allergies flare up when a person inhales something they are allergic to. As a result, uncomfortable symptoms such as a stuffy nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, watery eyes, sinus pressure, and a runny nose occur. These symptoms can impact everyday activities, work, and sleep. Perennial rhinitis is characterized by moderate to severe nasal congestion.
### First Line of Treatment
Typically, the most common-sense method of treating nasal allergies is avoiding allergens. This can be very difficult for some who are constantly exposed to environmental factors. Most of the time, oral antihistamines are prescribed cautiously to avoid causing sedation, which can be potentially dangerous, although newer antihistamines have reduced sedative properties. Corticosteroids are recommended for severe nasal allergies but may also cause nasal irritation, nosebleeds, and may affect the growth of a child. Decongestants and allergy shots are also treatment options for nasal allergies.
### Cleanse and Control
To control nasal allergies, it's best to cleanse the nasal passages through nasal irrigation. The nasal passages filter dirt and debris to prevent them from entering the sinuses. It's essential to keep the nasal passages clean.
### Medicated Irrigation Therapy
Allergic rhinitis patients are often prescribed to perform nasal irrigation to improve sinus health. The newest method for this is medicated irrigation therapy. This includes a custom-molded nasal irrigator bottle that handles saline and medicated solutions for cleansing. Medicated irrigation therapy washes the nasal lining and removes excessive upper respiratory secretions and airborne allergens. The best defense is to cleanse. Clean your way to an allergy-free season. It's time to breathe right.
### Related articles:
- [http://www.scnjzx.cn/bbs/boke.asp?hubglaow4.showtopic.21588.html](http://www.scnjzx.cn/bbs/boke.asp?hubglaow4.showtopic.21588.html)
- [http://www.xbxxb.com/bbs/forumdisplay.php?fid=82](http://www.xbxxb.com/bbs/forumdisplay.php?fid=82)
- [http://www.podshow411.net/index.php](http://www.podshow411.net/index.php)
- [http://www.podshow411.net/story.php?id=910065](http://www.podshow411.net/story.php?id=910065)