Key points of diagnosis and treatment of rhinitis

Abstract

Rhinitis is inflammation of the mucous membrane inside the nose. Allergic rhinitis is classified into the intermittent or persistent types, and may also be classified as mild, moderate and severe according to the severity of symptoms. Treatment of allergic rhinitis includes elimination of contact with allergen, allergen-specific immunotherapy and pharmacotherapy, which is selected depending on the severity of the symptoms. Infectious rhinitis develops in acute viral infection, and rhinitis symptoms are present in acute and chronic rhinosinusitis. Non-allergic rhinitis comprises conditions ranging from vasomotor rhinitis and gustatory rhinitis to non-allergic rhinitis with eosinophilia syndrome. Mixed rhinitis has components of allergic and non-allergic rhinitis. In addition, there are CPAP rhinitis, occupational rhinitis, medication rhinitis, rhinitis in systemic administration of drugs, rhinitis of pregnant women, atrophic rhinitis, rhinitis in systemic diseases. The type of rhinitis is diagnosed based on the patient’s complaints, anamnesis and clinical picture, some cases require laboratory tests and CT scan of the paranasal sinuses to differentiate the diagnosis.