Rhinitis
Rhinitis, also known as coryza, is
irritation and inflammation of the mucous membrane inside the nose. Common
symptoms are a stuffy nose, runny nose, sneezing, and post-nasal drip.
CAUSES
The inflammation is caused by
viruses, bacteria, irritants or allergens. The most common kind of rhinitis is
allergic rhinitis,[5] which is usually triggered by airborne allergens such as
pollen and dander.[6] Allergic rhinitis may cause additional symptoms, such as
sneezing and nasal itching, coughing, headache,[7] fatigue, malaise, and
cognitive impairment. The allergens may also affect the eyes, causing
watery, reddened, or itchy eyes and puffiness around the eyes. The
inflammation results in the generation of large amounts of mucus, commonly
producing a runny nose, as well as a stuffy nose and post-nasal drip. In the
case of allergic rhinitis
Types
Rhinitis is categorized into three
types (although infectious rhinitis is typically regarded as a separate
clinical entity due to its transient nature): (i) infectious rhinitis includes
acute and chronic bacterial infections; (ii) nonallergic (vasomotor) rhinitis
includes idiopathic, hormonal, atrophic, occupational, and gustatory rhinitis,
as well as rhinitis medicamentosa (drug-induced); (iii) allergic rhinitis,
triggered by pollen, mold, animal dander, dust, Balsam of Peru, and other
inhaled allergens.
Infectious
Rhinitis is commonly caused by a
viral or bacterial infection, including the common cold, which is caused by
Rhinoviruses, Coronaviruses, and influenza viruses, others caused by
adenoviruses, human parainfluenza viruses, human respiratory syncytial virus,
enteroviruses other than rhinoviruses, metapneumovirus, and measles virus, or
bacterial sinusitis, which is commonly caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae,
Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis. Symptoms of the common cold
include rhinorrhea, sneezing, sore throat (pharyngitis), cough, congestion, and
slight headache[citation needed]
Nonallergic rhinitis
Nonallergic rhinitis refers to
rhinitis that is not due to an allergy. The category was formerly referred to
as vasomotor rhinitis, as the first cause discovered was vasodilation due to an
overactive parasympathetic nerve response. As additional causes were
identified, additional types of nonallergic rhinitis were recognized. Vasomotor
rhinitis is now included among these under the more general classification of
nonallergic rhinitisThe diagnosis is made upon excluding allergic
causes. It is an umbrella term of rhinitis of multiple causes, such as
occupational (chemical), smoking, gustatory, hormonal, senile (rhinitis of the
elderly), atrophic, medication-induced (including rhinitis medicamentosa),
local allergic rhinitis, non-allergic rhinitis with eosinophilia syndrome
(NARES) and idiopathic (vasomotor or non-allergic, non-infectious perennial
allergic rhinitis (NANIPER), or non-infectious non-allergic rhinitis
(NINAR).
In vasomotor rhinitis, certain nonspecific stimuli, including changes in environment (temperature,
humidity, barometric pressure, or weather), airborne irritants (odors, fumes),
dietary factors (spicy food, alcohol), sexual arousal, exercise,[20] and
emotional factors trigger rhinitis.There is still much to be learned about
this, but it is thought that these non-allergic triggers cause dilation of the
blood vessels in the lining of the nose, which results in swelling and
drainage.
Non-allergic rhinitis can co-exist
with allergic rhinitis, and is referred to as "mixed rhinitis. The pathology of vasomotor rhinitis appears to involve neurogenic
inflammation[23] and is as yet not very well understood. The role of transient
receptor potential ion channels on the non-neuronal nasal epithelial cells has
also been suggested. Overexpression of these receptors have influence the nasal
airway hyper-responsiveness to non-allergic irritant environmental stimuli
(e.g., extremes of temperature, changes in osmotic or barometric pressure). Vasomotor rhinitis appears to be significantly more common in women than men,
leading some researchers to believe that hormones play a role. In general, age
of onset occurs after 20 years of age, in contrast to allergic rhinitis which
can be developed at any age. Individuals with vasomotor rhinitis typically
experience symptoms year-round, though symptoms may be exacerbated in the
spring and autumn when rapid weather changes are more common. An estimated
17 million United States citizens have vasomotor rhinitis.[citation needed]
Drinking alcohol may cause rhinitis
as well as worsen asthma (see alcohol-induced respiratory reactions). In
certain populations, particularly those of East Asian countries such as Japan,
these reactions have a nonallergic basis.In other populations,
particularly those of European descent, a genetic variant in the gene that
metabolizes ethanol to acetaldehyde, ADH1B, is associated with alcohol-induced
rhinitis. It is suggested that this variant metabolizes ethanol to acetaldehyde
too quickly for further processing by ALDH2 and thereby leads to the
accumulation of acetaldehyde and rhinitis symptoms. In these cases,
alcohol-induced rhinitis may be of the mixed rhinitis type and, it seems
likely, most cases of alcohol-induced rhinitis in non-Asian populations reflect
true allergic response to the non-ethanol and/or contaminants in alcoholic
beverages, particularly when these beverages are wines or beers. Alcohol-exacerbated
rhinitis is more frequent in individuals with a history of rhinitis exacerbated
by aspirin.
Allergic
Allergic rhinitis or hay fever may
follow when an allergen such as pollen, dust, or Balsam of Peru is inhaled
by an individual with a sensitized immune system, triggering antibody
production. These antibodies mostly bind to mast cells, which contain
histamine. When the mast cells are stimulated by an allergen, histamine (and
other chemicals) are released. This causes itching, swelling, and mucus
production.
HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT
Allium Cepa
Begins
sneezing, with increasing frequency. Watery discharge drips from nose; excoriates
lip and wings of nose. (Ars., Arum trip.) Rawness in nose; copious
lachrymation. Fluid from nose excoriating: from eyes bland. (Reverse of Euphrasia).
Generally begins left side and goes to right. Every year in August (Naja)
morning coryza with violent sneezing: very sensitive to odor of flowers and
skin of peaches. Spring coryza: Hayfever in August every
year on rising from bed, and handling peaches.
Arsenicum
Discharge
burns a red streak over upper lip and about wings of nose, with sneezing and
profuse, watery nasal discharge The typical Ars.
patient is anxious, restless, often asthmatic, when his worst hour is soon
alter midnight. Sneezing a prominent symptom, but sneezing no joke. Starts from
tickling in one spot nose; after sneezing tickling as bad as before. Hay
asthma.
Arsenicum Iodatum
Hay fever
with fetid, corrosive discharge. Discharges excoriating,
thick and yellow, resembling honey. (Graph.)
Arum Triphyllum
A prickling
sensation that cannot be left alone. Pinches and pricks, and bores into the
nostrils, however sore. A dreadful catarrh. Nose stopped, worse left side.
Sneezing worse during the night. Fluent acrid coryza, with lachrymation usually
bland. (Comp. Allium Cepa.) Fluid from nose, produces
rawness, smarting, burning: leaves red streaks as it flows over skin'. (Ars.) - KENT.
Arundo Mauritanica
KENT gives
this drug in black type in the Repertory for Hay Fever. Hay fever begins with
burning and itching of palate and conjunctiva. Coryza with snuffling. First
water runs from the nose, later green mucus. With sneezing, pieces of indurated
greenish mucus. Itching, burning, dryness of Schneiderian membrane. Curious
symptoms, when sneezing, stitches in loins.
Bromium
Fluent
coryza with frequent violent sneezing. Corrosive soreness under and margins of nose. Right nostril more affected. Aversion to smoking: to drinking cold water.
Carbo Vegetabilis
Frequent
sneezing, with constant violent
crawling and tickling in nose;
lachrymation and biting pain in and above nose. Ineffectual desire to sneeze,
with crawling in left nostril. Watery discharge, and sneezes day and night.
Suffers from heat: is chilled by cold: sweats in a hot room. No comfortable
place.
Dulcamara
Nostrils
stopped up, cannot breathe through nose. (Lach) Constant sneezing, profuse watery
discharge from nose and eyes. Worse
open air: better in closed room: worse near newly cut grass: better at Seaside. (Nat.mur.) Eyes
swelled and full and most affected, then nose, then again eyes. Dulc. cannot stand cold and wet: worse
from chill when hot.
Euphrasia
Profuse
acrid lachrymation, with profuse bland coryza (reverse of Allium Cepa).
Short-acting remedy: very useful in catarrhal affections without fever.
Sneezing; fluent bland coryza with acrid tears Eyes worse open air, and wind.
Gelsemium
Sneezing:
hot face: feeling of great weight and tiredness
in whole body and limbs. Violent morning
paroxysms of sneezing: tingling in nose. Watery, excoriating discharge.
Curious symptom, a feeling from throat up to left nostril, like a stream of
scalding water.
Kali Iodatum
Violent
sneezing, acrid, watery discharge. Worse cool air, worse open air:
but patient feels better in open air: i.e.: finds no quarters for relief.
Frontal sinuses involved with the coryza; much pain in forehead, eyes,
cheekbones.
Kali Phosphoricum
Hay fever,
said to be prophylactic. Itching in posterior
nares. Sneezing ; at 2 a.m. Eyes burn,
sting, swim in tears. Tongue coated like stale brownish liquid mustard.
Lachesis
Paroxysms of
sneezing worse after sleep even in the day time. Headache extending into
nose, with frequent and violent paroxysms of sneezing. Mucous membrane or nose
thickened: dry stuffed sensation through head: face red,
puffed: eyes seem almost pressed out. Red, sore nostrils and lips. Lach. is purple: sleeps into aggravation;
throat sensitive to touch or pressure.
Naja
Much
sneezing: water runs from nose: cannot lie down at night; dryness of
air passages of nose. Hay fever. Suffocative attacks in August.
(All. Cepa.).
Like Lach. wakes suffocating gasping, choking. Rawness of
trachea and larynx, as if excoriated.
Natrum Muriaticum
Squirming as
from a small worm. Watery discharge from eyes and nose. Severe coryza, had to
lay a towel under nose. Woke with headache; after rising nasal discharge with
violent and frequent sneezing. Loss of taste and smell: cough from tickling in
throat pit. Lachrymation acrid; canthi red and sore. Characteristics: Worse in sun;
desire for salt in hay fever, better at seaside. Recorded case, cured by a swim
in the sea.
Nux Vomica
Distressing
prolonged paroxysms of sneezing. Excessive irritation in nose, eyes. face; -
Heat as if a hot iron plate were near it. Itching extends to larynx and
trachea. Nux is very irritable: very sensitive to cold.
Psorinum
A sort of
continuous hay fever, runs all the year and ripens up in the Fall. Catarrhal
state of eyes and nose. Nose dries up part of the time and runs part of the
time: must continually use handkerchief. "Hay fever a difficult condition
to fit a remedy to; constitution must be built up before hay fever will
cease" - KENT. Must wrap up in hottest summer. Wants head covered. Skin
greasy, oily, looks unwashed.
Ranunculus
Eyes smart;
lips burn and are sore. Nose stuffed, especially evenings, with pressure root
of nose and tingling and crawling
inside. May attack posterior nares: hawks and swallow in effort to scratch affected
part. (Comp. Wyeth.)
Hoarseness: stitching pains chest: muscles sore.
Sabadilla
Spasmodic
sneezing: fluent coryza. Nostrils stuffed up: inspirations through nose
laboured: snoring. Itching in nose; bleeding from nose. (Zinc.)Violent sneezing; with copious
watery discharge. Severe frontal pains and redness eyelids. Very sensitive to
smell of garlic.
Sanguinaria
Rose colds
in June. Sensitive to flowers and odors. Hay fever with burning in nose, throat
- dry: as if mucous membranes would crack open. Dry
burning in larynx with hoarseness of chest with asthma. Palms dry, burning,
wrinkled. Burning palms and soles: puts them out of bed. (Sulph., Puls., Cham., Med.)
Silica
begins with
itching and tingling in nose. Violent sneezing and excoriating discharge. Itching in posterior nares, or orifice of
Eustachian tubes. (Ars., Sil., Wyeth.)
Sinapis Nigra
Mucous
membrane of nose dry and hot: worse afternoon and evening: one
nostril affected, or alternate nostrils. Nose swollen, stuffed: discharges a
thin acrid mucus. (Ailanthus.) Eyes suffused, itch, smart .
Sticta Pulmonaria
Constant
need to blow nose, but no discharge results on account of dryness.
Nose is stuffed up; secretion drying so rapidly it cannot be discharged. Almost
constant sneezing; tingling right side nose. Fullness right side forehead to
root nose. Excessive dryness of soft palate. Tickling high up in pharynx.
Wyethia
Peculiar itching in roof of mouth (Arund.), for relief patient must draw
tongue back and forth over soft palate; with this coryza, sneezing, etc.
Zincum
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