hay fever

What are your triggers?

 

Knowing your triggers is another way to help control your health.

Hay fever/ allergic rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis can make your asthma harder to control. It is becoming more common, especially in young to middle-age adults. Up to 80% of people with asthma have allergic rhinitis.

What is rhinitis?

Rhinitis is a condition in which the lining of the nose, back of the mouth and throat is inflamed and sensitive to cold air, fumes, strong smells, spicy foods or tobacco smoke. A person with rhinitis may experience itching or soreness, and may have a blocked or runny nose.

What is 'allergic' rhinitis?

This is a kind of rhinitis that is caused by allergy. The immune system reacts to triggers that do not affect most people. The most common triggers relate to house dust mites, pets, pollen and moulds.

Symptoms of allergic rhinitis

Some common symptoms include

  • an itchy nose, throat or eyes
  • sneezing
  • a runny nose or eyes
  • a blocked nose.

Allergic rhinitis can occur all year round when the trigger is dustmite or pet related.

Treatment

The most effective treatments are cortico-steriod sprays that are sprayed into the nose. People who have asthma and allergic rhinitis should use both a preventer nasal spray and a preventer asthma puffer regularly.

Want to know more?

The National Asthma Council of Australia has recently developed a very helpful brochure about allergic rhinitis. Click here to visit their site and learn more.