Allergic rhinitis is where your nose gets irritated by something you're allergic to, such as pollen, causing sneezing and other symptoms. For most people it's easy to treat with medicines from a pharmacist.
Common symptoms of allergic rhinitis are similar to a cold and include:
- sneezing
- an itchy nose
- a runny or blocked nose
- itchy, red and watery eyes
- a cough
- the roof of your mouth being itchy
This usually happens within minutes of coming into contact with something you're allergic to.
Allergic rhinitis is caused by an allergic reaction.
Common allergies include:
- pollen from trees, grass and weeds (hay fever)
- house dust mites
- animals such as dogs and cats
- mould
- wood dust, flour dust and latex
You're more likely to get an allergy if people in your family also have them or conditions such as eczema and asthma.
You can often treat allergic rhinitis without seeing a GP.
If you can, try to avoid the things that trigger your allergies.
A pharmacist can also advise you about medicines that can help, such as:
- antihistamines
- decongestant nasal sprays or drops to unblock your nose (decongestants should not be used by children under 6)
- salt water nasal sprays or solutions to rinse out the inside of your nose
You can buy nasal sprays without a prescription, but they should not be used for more than a week as this can make your symptoms worse.
See a GP if:
- you have allergic rhinitis and your symptoms get worse
- you also have asthma and it's getting worse
- your symptoms are affecting your sleep and everyday life
- you're not sure what's causing your symptoms
- treatments from a pharmacist are not working
If pharmacy medicines do not help ease your allergic rhinitis symptoms, a GP may prescribe a different medicine, such as prescription steroid nasal sprays or antihistamines.
You may be referred to a specialist for further tests and treatment if it's not clear what's causing your symptoms or they're severe.
If you have allergic rhinitis, it's not always possible to avoid the things you're allergic to. But there are steps you can take to try to help reduce your symptoms.