How to Find Lasting Relief From Allergic Rhinitis

Whether you’re sneezing and coughing during a specific season, have a pet that causes you to break out in hives, or experience a negative physical reaction to certain foods, allergies are a frustrating and far too common problem. 

Over 24 million Americans, or one in three adults and one in three children, deal with some form of allergy, and many others show symptoms, bringing the total to over 100 million.

Allergic rhinitis is one of the common ways allergies present themselves and, depending on the trigger, can cause you to feel miserable seasonally or all year round. Fortunately, not only are there ways to help you get your allergic rhinitis under control, but getting long-term relief is possible with the right help.

Residents of Chicago, Illinois, struggling with the symptoms of allergic rhinitis or other allergy problems can get treatment from our team at Michigan Avenue Primary Care. 

Causes of allergic rhinitis

Allergies result from your immune system adversely reacting to a foreign substance it deems to be dangerous (allergens), even if it isn’t, causing your body to react in a variety of ways. 

Your immune system responds to allergens as a threat and starts creating antibodies to fight them. The resulting reaction leads to the various signs of allergies you experience through the release of a substance called histamines.

Allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, is a response to an allergen that often resembles a cold but isn’t contagious. Symptoms of allergic rhinitis include nasal congestion, itchiness in your nose, throat, and eyes, watery or red eyes, sinus pressure, headaches, fatigue, postnasal drip, sore throat, coughing, wheezing, and breathing problems.

Common triggers of allergic rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis is either seasonal or perennial (year-round), and there are a wide variety of substances that can cause it:

Seasonal

Allergic rhinitis is often a big problem in the spring, summer, and fall. Allergens include pollen (from birch, cedar, alder, horse, chestnut, poplar, and willow trees), mold, ryegrass, mugworts, timothy grass, nettles, ragweed, sorrels, plantains, and fat hens.

Perennial

Year-round allergic rhinitis is a reaction to substances often found in your home or the surrounding area such as mold, dust mites, and pet dander (skin cells and urine). Any of these allergens can collect on surfaces and clothing.

Long-term management for allergic rhinitis

Over-the-counter or prescription antihistamines, decongestants, leukotriene inhibitors, and nasal sprays can help manage your symptoms as they come. Immunotherapy allows your body to adapt to the allergen to reduce symptoms permanently. 

Immunotherapy works by retraining your immune response through minor exposure to an allergen to eliminate your adverse reaction to it. Treatment comes in the form of allergy shots or tablets placed under your tongue (sublingual immunotherapy).

There are many ways to get relief from allergic rhinitis, but to find the solution that gives you the results you need, contact us at Michigan Avenue Primary Care to schedule an appointment today. You can also visit our urgent care center during operating hours, M-F, 8 am to 4 pm.