If your nose continues to itch, you may have allergic rhinitis. In addition to an itchy nose, allergic rhinitis can also cause other complaints, such as sneezing, headaches, itchy eyes, and nasal congestion..
Allergic rhinitis is an inflammation of the mucous lining of the nose. This condition occurs when the immune system overreacts to exposure to allergens or allergy-triggering substances that enter through the nose. As a result, you experience an itchy nose, sneezing, and other symptoms.
How to Determine If You Have Allergic Rhinitis
Itchy nose is one of the symptoms caused by allergic rhinitis. However, this does not mean that an itchy nose always indicates that you have allergic rhinitis. The presence of a foreign object that accidentally enters the nose also often causes an itchy nose and discomfort in the nose.
To determine whether you have allergic rhinitis or not, consult a doctor. At the beginning of the visit, the doctor will ask questions about your symptoms and medical history, then perform an examination of your nose.
In addition, the doctor may also perform additional examinations to determine the cause of the itchy nose that you are experiencing. One of them is allergy testing.
One method of allergy testing is to insert a needle that has been smeared with a certain allergen into the skin on the arm. The goal is to see if the allergen triggers an allergic reaction in your body. If you are allergic to this substance, usually a red bump will appear on the pierced skin.
By knowing what ingredients or substances can trigger an allergic reaction in your body, you can avoid them to prevent allergy symptoms, including an itchy nose due to allergic rhinitis.
Itchy Nose Treatment Due to Allergic Rhinitis
The main treatment for an itchy nose due to allergic rhinitis is to stay away from the triggering factor. For example, if allergic rhinitis is caused by dust, then avoid dusty places. Also clean the house from dust, mites, animal hair, or mold that can trigger an itchy nose due to allergic rhinitis, but of course by wearing a mask.
In addition to staying away from allergy triggers, the following treatments can also be done to relieve itchy nose due to allergic rhinitis:
Nasal irrigation
You can relieve an itchy nose from allergic rhinitis with nasal irrigation (nasal irrigation). This method is done to clean your nasal cavity from substances that cause allergies or irritants.
Antihistamines and decongestants
In addition to nasal irrigation, itchy nose due to allergic rhinitis can also be relieved by drugs containing antihistamines and decongestants. However, the use of these two drugs must be in accordance with a doctor's prescription.
Immunotherapy
Itchy nose due to allergic rhinitis can also be treated with special therapy, namely immunotherapy. This therapy is done by injecting an allergen into your skin for a certain period of time and in a certain dose.
The goal of this therapy is to reduce the sensitivity of the body's immune system to these allergens. In addition to allergen injections, immunotherapy can be done in various other ways that will be tailored to your condition.
Complaints of an itchy nose that often appear can be caused by allergic rhinitis. To fix it, you need to know what the cause is. Therefore, do not hesitate to have it checked by a doctor. The doctor will find out what is the cause of your itchy nose and provide appropriate treatment.