LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Rhinitis: Allergens
built 607 days ago
Allergic rhinitis is treated in a number of ways, including seasonal allergy medication, nasal sprays, and decongestants. If the cause of the allergies is determined to be an indoor allergen such as dust mites or pet dander, steps can be taken to rid the home of some of the allergens. Injections, or allergy shots, are ... sometimes used to treat allergic rhinitis. A small amount of the allergen is injected at first, with tolerance built up over weeks or months. The shots are given frequently at first, but when a maintenance level of the allergen is reached, they are given less frequently. After a few years, they are no longer given at all.
Source:
Avoidance of triggers is the best treatment against allergic rhinitis. There are two types of medical treatments for allergic rhinitis. Antihistamines, decongestants, or other medications may be recommended to relieve allergic rhinitis symptoms. The second type of treatment, allergy shots (immunotherapy), has been proven highly successful in treating allergic rhinitis by building up tolerance to the offending allergens. (Read more about Allergy Shots.) If you suspect allergic rhinitis, see your allergy specialist. Skin testing can identify causes of allergic rhinitis and your doctor can recommend a treatment that is right for you.
Source:
If you have allergic rhinitis, your doctor will recommend that you avoid the substances that are known allergens for you. When rhinitis is seasonal or involves substances that are hard to avoid, medication can be prescribed to relieve symptoms. The most commonly used drugs are antihistamines, decongestants, corticosteroid sprays, and cromolyn nasal sprays. Immunotherapy is a type of desensitizing treatment in which a series of injections of a known allergen are given in increasingly larger doses until the body shows that it can be tolerated. An allergy specialist must administer this type of program and it may take a long period of time to develop an immunity. These injections are followed by periodic booster shots.
Source:
The best way to treat allergic rhinitis is to avoid or limit exposure to the allergen as much as possible. Avoidance techniques will vary depending on the type of allergy. For instance, people with outdoor allergies may be advised to stay indoors on days with high pollen counts and keep windows and doors closed. People with either outdoor or indoor allergies may be advised to run their air conditioners frequently and use filters capable of removing allergens (such as mold spores) from the air.
Source:
Allergic rhinitis is a type of immune reaction. Normally, the immune system responds to foreign microorganisms, or particles, like pollen or dust, by producing specific proteins, called antibodies, that are capable of binding to identifying molecules, or antigens, on the foreign particle. This reaction between antibody and antigen sets off a series of reactions designed to protect the body from infection. Sometimes, this same series of reactions is triggered by harmless, everyday substances. This is the condition known as allergy, and the offending substance is called an allergen.
Source:
Hay fever (allergic rhinitis) involves an allergic reaction to pollen. A virtually identical reaction occurs with allergy to mold, animal dander, dust, and similar inhaled allergens. The pollens that cause hay fever vary from person to person and from region to region. Pollens that are carried by bees from plant to plant are seldom responsible for hay fever because the grains are large and have a waxy coating. Tiny, hard-to-see pollens carried by the wind are more often the cause of hay fever.
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Allergens