Allergic rhinitis obsession

Many nights waking up with tears, runny nose, days of continuous sneezing, stuffy nose, unable to breathe, itchy eyes, swollen eyes... are the nightmares of people with allergic rhinitis.

At 5:00 a.m., Ms. LPM (38 years old, Phu Nhuan district) woke up with tears and runny nose, sneezing continuously, stuffy nose, cold feeling in the nose, red tip of the nose.

While sitting in the office working, around 3-4 pm, she sneezed continuously, had watery eyes, runny nose, red eyes, stuffy nose, which not only reduced her work efficiency but also affected the colleagues around her. Stuffy nose made it difficult for her to breathe, she had to breathe through her mouth, which added to her sore throat.

If not treated properly, the disease can last longer and progress more severely, causing complications such as acute and chronic sinusitis, nasal polyps; at the same time, it costs a lot of money and reduces the quality of life.

This condition lasted for nearly 2 weeks, making her tired, unable to concentrate, and drained of energy. “I was stressed for a long time, anxious, and even had a period of depression because the disease had been with me for 20 years,” said Ms. M.

Ms. M. has chronic allergic rhinitis. This time, her relapse coincided with a stomach ache and she was taking medication prescribed by her doctor. Every time the symptoms of allergic rhinitis flared up, she took medication to reduce the symptoms, but this time it did not improve, so she went to the ENT Center, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City for examination.

Mr. DH (40 years old, Vietnamese American) has a pollen allergy. “This year, my allergy is worse because there is more pollen than in previous years. I take medicine and see my family doctor but the disease is still not cured,” said Mr. H.

Mr. H. said that every time the seasons change or the “hundred flowers bloom” season comes, he suffers from severe allergic rhinitis and limits going out to avoid exposure to pollen. He cannot concentrate on his work and his work efficiency decreases.

He had watery eyes and a runny nose; itchy eyes; swollen eyelids; constant sneezing; wheezing, stuffy nose, and cough. He took medication to relieve the symptoms, but felt lethargic and tired. This condition lasted for more than a month.

Allergic rhinitis is a congenital, hereditary disease. Treatment of allergic rhinitis is to reduce symptoms, limit recurrence, prevent complications and improve the patient's quality of life, not to cure the disease," said Dr. Nhu Duy.

As for Ms. M., Dr. Duy performed aspiration of mucus, performed an ENT endoscopy, and prescribed antihistamines, eye drops, and nasal sprays to reduce itching and other uncomfortable symptoms. After a follow-up visit 2 weeks later, her stuffy nose, sneezing, and stuffy nose improved significantly.

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), approximately 10-30% of the world's population suffers from allergic rhinitis. Epidemiological studies show that the prevalence of respiratory allergies is 15-30%, with the prevalence of allergic rhinitis increasing over time, and sensitivity in urban areas is higher than in rural areas.

Doctor Nhu Duy said that the disease also depends on many external factors such as environmental pollution, weather changes, and working environment. People with easily irritated bodies should proactively strengthen their immunity and protect their bodies from allergens.

Allergic rhinitis is caused by the body's reaction to substances that can cause allergies (allergens) such as: dust, pollen, chemicals, cotton, fabric, fibers, pet hair, parasites, smoke; some foods (shrimp, crab, snails...) or due to the weather (cold, sudden heat, humidity). The patient feels a burning sensation in the nose, sneezing continuously, itchy nose, burning eyes, red eyes, watery eyes, runny nose with clear watery mucus, burning sensation in the throat.

It occurs frequently during the day, especially in the early morning when waking up, but eases at night and lasts for several days to several weeks. When the disease becomes chronic, the patient has a stuffy nose almost constantly, tinnitus, headaches, impaired sense of smell, snoring, mouth breathing causing pharyngitis, bronchitis, bronchial allergies and possibly asthma.

The disease is not dangerous or life-threatening, but it causes significant discomfort, reduces the patient's quality of life, and affects work, study, and daily activities. Many cases of anxiety and depression result from the discomfort of the disease.

“There are many patients who are allergic to rice, allergic to tofu - it sounds strange but it still happens,” said Dr. Duy. Some patients who want to know exactly what is causing their allergies can test for 60 allergens.

This test uses 60 available allergen samples to determine the cause of allergies in the body, thereby helping patients prevent and limit exposure to allergens, reducing disease recurrence.

Master Doctor CKII Nguyen Nhu Duy, ENT Center, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City said that the hospital regularly receives many overseas Vietnamese who return home for examination due to severe pollen allergies abroad; each flower season is a nightmare for them.

Patients who know their pollen allergy should come back home to have their nose and throat checked to see if they have other nose and throat diseases besides allergies. Because some patients have had allergic rhinitis for many years, causing degeneration, swelling of the nasal mucosa, and hypertrophy of the nasal turbinate.

If the doctor detects nasal polyps or anatomical abnormalities such as a deviated septum that makes allergic rhinitis worse, surgery will be considered.

In Mr. H's case, Dr. Nhu Duy performed an ENT endoscopy and found no abnormalities in the anatomical structure of the nose and throat. This was not a relapse of Mr. H's allergic rhinitis, so the doctor advised and instructed him on how to care for his nose and throat, his daily activities, and his nutrition so that Mr. H could prevent as much as possible the recurrence of allergic rhinitis when he returned to the US, and reduce the symptoms of pollen allergy.

Doctor Duy instructs that for people with allergic rhinitis, when symptoms recur, they should wash their nose with saline 1-2 times a day, take anti-allergy medication; if there is a lot of mucus in the nose, they should irrigate the nose. If taking medication and cleaning the nose and throat for 5-7 days does not reduce symptoms, they should see an ENT specialist; note that you should not overuse vasoconstrictor nasal drops to relieve nasal congestion immediately.

If the symptoms of allergic rhinitis flare up, you should see a doctor immediately; at the same time, increase your resistance, eat and rest scientifically, keep your body stress-free, and exercise gently. If allergic rhinitis is infected (has become complicated by bacterial infection), the patient must use antibiotics and antigens as prescribed by the doctor.

Doctor Duy recommends that people with allergic rhinitis should avoid contact with allergens. If you are allergic to pollen, limit going outside when there is a lot of pollen in the air (5am - 10am), close windows, and use an air purifier.

Clean your house regularly, keep it dry, wear a mask when going out, avoid going to dusty places, and limit contact with pets if you are allergic to pet hair. Clean your ears, nose, and throat daily, eat healthily, avoid alcoholic beverages, exercise regularly to strengthen your immune system, get enough sleep (7-8 hours/night), and avoid stress.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/am-anh-viem-mui-di-ung-d220731.html