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Rhinitis: treatment
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025
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If the cause of the runny nose is not allergens (runny nose is not of an allergic nature), its nature is protracted, then such rhinitis is treated by an otolaryngologist (since the causes can be very diverse). If the runny nose is of an allergic nature, that is, the cause of its occurrence are allergens, then there are certain approaches to its treatment, such rhinitis is treated by an allergist.
Approaches to treating patients with allergic rhinitis are based on the general principles of treating other allergic diseases:
- complete elimination or at least reduction of contact with causative allergens:
- allergen-specific immunotherapy:
- rational pharmacotherapy;
- patient education on rhinitis.
[ Elimination (reduction) of contact with the causative allergen
The beneficial effect of various measures aimed at removing the allergen from the environment largely depends on the type of allergen. For example, when removing animals, the clinical effect is fully evident only after several months, even with regular repeated cleaning of the premises. In most cases, complete exclusion of contact with the allergen is impossible. However, even partial implementation of measures eliminating the allergen alleviates the course of the disease, reduces the need for the amount of medication consumed, including potent ones. Particular attention should be paid to these measures when there are serious restrictions on taking pharmacological drugs (pregnancy, early and old age, the presence of concomitant pathology).
Rational pharmacotherapy
Allergic rhinitis treatment with medicinal pharmacological preparations includes the use of non-sedative blockers of H1-histamine receptors (for example, desloratadine, loratadine, etc.), vasoconstrictors (decongestants) for no more than 10 days, cromoglycic acid and nedocromil, anticholinergics, glucocorticoids. Recently, information has appeared that justifies the use of leukotriene receptor antagonists for treatment.
Treatment of rhinitis: general tactics
A mandatory condition for choosing the tactics of the treatment is an individual approach to a specific patient, taking into account both the clinical and pathogenetic features of the form and severity of the disease, as well as all social, behavioral, psychological aspects available for assessment that are significant for a given patient.
Modern principles for choosing a set of treatment measures are based on the results of an analysis of the range and methods of action of a particular treatment method and on the adequacy of these methods.