What Triggers Allergic Rhinitis?

Allergic rhinitis is a respiratory condition where the nasal airways get inflamed. Your immune system may find a foreign object enter your body through the airways and mistake it for an intruder.

This object can be termed as an intruder or allergen. When the immune system catches this particle, it alerts the body by releasing chemical mediators and histamine.

This can typically cause the lungs to produce more than the required amount of mucus to get rid of the problem. Not only that, but it can also cause redness in the eyes, skin, and front of the mouth. You may also start developing a fever.

While the changing of seasons or dust particles in the wind may not be an issue for some individuals, others can get greatly affected by them.

As summer comes closer, the temperature tends to get high and we are left with no choice but to turn our air-conditioners on. What many do not realize is that after being closed off for nearly six months, these machines can catch some dust particles.

Thus, after turning it on, it can release these particles throughout the room, causing the nearest individual to start sneezing.

According to https://filterbuy.com/resources/can-you-be-allergic-to-air-conditioning/, filters need to be changed frequently every 30 days.

Regardless, small dust particles are not the only elements that trigger this inflammation. But before we discover the causes, let us first read about the sickness itself.

Allergic rhinitis is divided into two types. These types are described below:

Perennial Rhinitis

This type of allergy is caused by dust or animal hair. Symptoms of this can occur throughout the year.

Seasonal Rhinitis/ Hay Fever

This is the most common type of allergic rhinitis. Individuals who have this can have trouble with work or studies when the pollen spread is high.

This is typically why some individuals will refuse to go close to a place with flowers. Symptoms of this type of allergy can occur during spring, fall or summer. To counter this, suspecting people can get themselves checked by a doctor and get antihistamine.

What are the Symptoms?

The symptoms for the allergic response can differ, depending on the causes. Symptoms can include:

• Fever
• Constant sneezing
• Coughing
• The feeling of itchiness around the nose, throat, mouth, eyes and skin area
• Stuffy/running nose
• Headache
• Swollen, red and watery eyes
• In severe cases, hives

While allergic rhinitis can last a minimum of a day and a maximum of several weeks, it can often be mistaken as a cold or flu. One way to identify it is by checking when the nasal discharge is watery, thin and clear.

Nasal discharge from the flu or cold is thicker. Another prominent identification is constant sneezing.

What Triggers Allergic Rhinitis?

Several elements can cause allergic rhinitis. They are listed as follows:

• Dust Mites

Dust mites are small insects and often found in large, wooden houses. These mites feed on dead human skin and can be found in pillows, mattresses, beds and any kind of soft furniture.

However, the allergic response is not triggered by these insects, but the chemicals they excrete. What makes it worse is that these insects are available throughout the year. The only way to get rid of them is by dusting, cleaning and changing bed/pillow/furniture covers every week.

• Allergens

These allergens are common particles in the air that include spores, pollen, urine, animal skin or saliva. Rhinitis can be triggered by fungi and mold as well.

• Animal Fur or Skin Flakes

You must have seen some people that are allergic to animals, mainly dogs and cats. And while many would claim that the reaction happens because of the fur, it actually gets triggered from the dead skin cells, saliva, and urine.

However, being exposed to animals such as dogs from a young age can help prevent such triggers. For cats, the same can only be applied to a few cases.

• Allergens at Work

Some people who work can be found to get allergic reactions from wood dust, latex or flour powder. Allergic rhinitis is a very serious condition that can often severely inflame the airway passage and cause individuals to be on bed rest for weeks.

While it may be deadly, it can be easily prevented by having anti-allergic medications prescribed by a doctor.

It is always best to do a medical check-up during the start of each season to determine if your sneezes are actually a triggered response or common cold/flu. Regardless, the causes above can be used to prevent the trigger response as well.

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