What are the symptoms?
Typical symptoms of seasonal and perennial rhinitis are:
- Sneezing
- Itchy, blocked or runny nose
- Red, itchy or watery eyes
- Itchy throat, inner ear or mouth
- Headaches
- A loss of concentration and generally feeling unwell.
- Sleep disturbance
The common cold can often be confused with seasonal and perennial rhinitis because they cause similar symptoms. However, a cold normally lasts for around week. Sneezing, a streaming nose and itchy eyes, which persist for a few weeks, may well be due to either seasonal or perennial rhinitis.
Allergens can also trigger asthma symptoms: tight chest, shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing. If this happens to you, speak to your doctor or nurse as soon as possible.
How can I control my symptoms?
Whether you have seasonal or perennial rhinitis, there are two main courses of action open to you:
You can try to reduce those allergens that affect you.
You can take effective medication (as allergens are impossible to avoid completely).
A combination of the two is often the most successful method of controlling symptoms.
