CONTACT
ATHENS RHINOLOGY TEAM
Dr. T. Terzis and Associates
Private Ear, Nose & Throat Surgery
11 Dimitriou Vassileiou street
154 51 Neo Psychiko, Athens, Greece.
Tel.: (+30) 210 36 32 922
(+30) 697 22 64 464
Fax: (+30) 210 67 76 962
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Allergic Rhinitis |
A common type of chronic inflammation of the nasal mucosa is Allergic Rhinitis. Certain airborne substances elicit an intense reaction when they contact the mucosa of hypersensitive individuals. Resulting symptoms include catarrh, sneezing, nasal obstruction, itching in the nose or throat, redness, itching and tears in the eyes.
Common aero-allergens, which cause symptoms, are:
Diagnosis of Allergic Rhinitis comes after careful correlation of patient’s history and allergy skin testing. In some cases, special blood tests may be useful. Upper and Lower respiratory tract, i.e. the nose and lungs, are connected, not only anatomically, but also by means of common mechanisms in inflammation and disease. So, it is not uncommon for rhinitis to co-exist with pulmonary inflammation, usually bronchial hypereactivity and asthma. Therefore, it is important to diagnose Allergic Rhinitis early and start treatment early, before asthma develops.
If allergy is confirmed with skin testing and the result correlates well with the patient’s history, then treatment is initiated, starting with Avoidance Measures and Medical treatment. Α. Avoidance Measures
Β. Medical TreatmentMedical treatment of Allergic Rhinitis is based on anti-inflammatory drugs and antihistamines. The most common drug used is some steroid spray, which is safe for long-term use, due to minimal, if any, systemic absorption by the mucosa. Selected cases will need cortisone by mouth or intramuscularly. Antihistamines also have a key role in the management of allergic rhinitis. When used, they are often prescribed for periods longer than the symptoms, to cover the underlying inflammation, which may exist even when the patient is asymptomatic. In some cases, other drugs, like decongestive sprays or other anti-inflammatory local or systematic drugs are used. C. Desensitization
If avoidance measures and medical treatment fail to control symptoms to the patient’s satisfaction, desensitization may be discussed. This is a specialized treatment with increasing doses of the responsible allergen, aiming at permanent cure of the allergy. Nowadays, desensitization can be done either with subcutaneous injections (shots) or sublingual drops. Its feasibility is carefully evaluated in each case, because not all allergens provide good results, and not all patients are good candidates for the treatment. The result is typically evaluated in about twelve months, and if there is a favourable response, treatment is continued for two to four more years. |