Allergic rhinitis and asthma
Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma: identifying the allergen, prescribing treatment and assessing immunotherapy so you stop relying on antihistamines.
One airway
Allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma are two sides of the same problem. Many people with persistent rhinitis end up with bronchial symptoms too, and asthma is harder to control when the nose is inflamed. That's why we don't just look at whatever bothers you most: we look at the whole airway.
How it's recognised
- Bouts of sneezing, clear runny nose, blocked nose and itching in the nose, eyes or roof of the mouth.
- Symptoms that come back at the same time every year, or that appear on entering a house with pets or when cleaning.
- Dry cough at night, wheezing, feeling short of breath when running.
- Recurring conjunctivitis: red, watery, itchy eyes.
The seasonal pattern is gold: noting when it gets worse helps more than you'd think.
How we investigate it
Your medical history and allergy testing identify the allergen responsible. When asthma is suspected, the assessment draws on a lung function test — spirometry— to measure how the airway is working and see whether it improves with a bronchodilator.
How we treat it
Treatment combines three things: reducing exposure where possible, medication to control the inflammation (antihistamines, nasal steroids, inhalers depending on the case) and, if your profile fits, immunotherapy to act on the cause. The goal is specific: sleeping well, doing sport without holding back, and not living with an eye on the inhaler.
Frequently asked questions
Why am I being assessed for asthma if I came about my nose?
Because the nose and the bronchi are the same airway. A good proportion of people with persistent rhinitis end up developing bronchial symptoms, and asthma is harder to control when the nose is inflamed. Looking only at what bothers you most leaves the problem half solved.
How do I know if my rhinitis is an allergy or a cold that will not go away?
The clue is in the pattern. Allergic rhinitis causes bursts of sneezing, a clear runny nose and itching of the nose, eyes or palate, and it recurs at the same times of year or in the same places — when cleaning, when entering a house with a cat. A cold lasts a few days and comes with feeling generally unwell. Tests confirm it.
Will I always depend on antihistamines?
Not necessarily. Symptomatic treatment brings relief, but if you have a clearly identified allergen and your profile fits, immunotherapy acts on the cause and many people greatly reduce their medication. The goal being pursued is a specific one: sleeping well, doing sport and not living tied to the spray.
What causes allergic rhinitis?
A reaction of the immune system to something that is breathed in: pollens —grass, olive, cypress—, dust mites, animal dander or moulds. The pattern helps to tell them apart: seasonal symptoms point to pollens and year-round symptoms to mites or animals. Testing confirms it.
How do you tell whether it is rhinitis or an allergy?
Rhinitis is the symptom — blocked nose, runny nose, sneezing — and allergy is one of its causes. There are non-allergic forms of rhinitis: from infection, from temperature changes, from overuse of decongestant sprays or from hormonal causes. Telling them apart requires a clinical history and tests, because the treatment changes.