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Your body protects you from things that can make you sick like bacteria and viruses. But, if you have allergies, this defense system works overtime. It protects you from things that don’t harm most people. These things are called allergens or allergy triggers. That’s what happens with nasal allergies.
When you breathe in one of your allergens, your nose releases substances. They affect the lining of your nose. This is called rhinitis. It can make your nose stuffy, itchy, or runny. You may sneeze.
- If you have seasonal allergies (or “hay fever”), your nasal symptoms occur or get worse during certain seasons. Doctors call this condition seasonal allergic rhinitis. Common triggers include grass, tree, and weed pollens, and molds.
- If you have year-round nasal allergies, your symptoms may be triggered by indoor allergens. These may include dust mites (bugs so small that you can’t see them), mold, cockroaches, or animal dander. Doctors call this condition year-round allergic rhinitis.
How do I know if I have nasal allergies?
Your doctor may suspect that you have nasal allergies based on:
- Your symptoms and when you have them
- If you or your family have a history of allergies
To test for allergies, your doctor may want you to have a skin test or a blood test.
- In skin tests, also called prick or puncture tests, a doctor injects small amounts of allergen under your skin. Then, your doctor waits to see if you have a temporary skin reaction to the substance (like a bump where you had the shot).
- A blood test is another way of looking for an allergy to a substance.
Allergies and asthma
Many people with nasal allergies may also have asthma. Asthma is a long-term lung disease that causes breathing problems. Symptoms are wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Treating your nasal allergies may help you manage your asthma, if you have both conditions.
Talk with your doctor, if you have questions about asthma. To learn more, visit the 1on1health Asthma program.
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