Symptoms and treatment of vasomotor rhinitis in a child

Among the common forms of children's runny nose is vasomotor rhinitis - a non-infectious disease, the body's reaction to external irritants.

Vasomotor rhinitis in a child is formed when the blood vessels in the nasal cavity dilate, leading first to swelling of the mucous membrane, then to dense congestion and difficulty breathing.

Complete treatment will not only restore physical health, but will also create conditions for psychological comfort and facilitate free contact with peers.

Causes

Several reasons can provoke the development of pathology. The following factors lead to the disease:

• anomaly of the anatomical structure of the nose;
• infectious diseases;
• exposure to external stimuli;
• congenital predisposition;
• polluted external environment;
• increased sensitivity of the nervous system;
• long-term use of vasoconstrictor drugs;
• polyps, adenoids;
• chronic diseases - tonsillitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis;
• high sensitivity to weather changes;
• inflammatory diseases - previously suffered or concomitant;
• long-term stressful state.

As a result of the above reasons, the regulation of vascular tone is disrupted. Blood vessels dilate, increase in size, and swell.

A runny nose of this type is not dangerous, but it negatively affects the general condition of the child: headaches occur, sleep is disturbed, and nervous excitability increases. Violation of vascular tone leads to the formation of a concomitant secondary infection.

Vasomotor rhinitis in children: causes, types, symptoms and treatment

A runny nose is the most common problem faced by children due to the imperfection of the immune system. This pathology has several varieties that arise for various reasons.

Among them is vasomotor rhinitis - in children it develops when the basic functions of the autonomic nervous system are disrupted.

In this case, the vessels of the nose begin to react incorrectly even to familiar irritants, causing persistent congestion.

Let's figure out how to distinguish vasomotor rhinitis in children from a common cold, and how to quickly and effectively treat it. Read more about vasomotor rhinitis →

Causes

Vasomotor rhinitis in children occurs for a number of reasons, and treatment will depend on the factor that provoked the disease. The main causes of pathology include:

• Frequent colds - as a result of the constant presence of infectious pathogens in the nasopharynx, mucus accumulates in the passages and sinuses, causing nasal congestion.
• The use of certain groups of drugs, for example, anti-inflammatory or vasoconstrictor drugs. A reaction in the form of nasal congestion occurs as a response to components of drugs from the NSAID group or as a result of non-compliance with the dosage of drugs for the common cold or use for more than 7 days in a row.
• Unfavorable environmental conditions.
• Excessive physical activity, frequent stress - at the same time, the child’s pulse quickens, blood flow through the capillaries accelerates, which causes dilation of the vessels in the nose and, as a result, a runny nose.
• Dry air in the house, prolonged exposure to household chemicals, varnishes and paints.
• Hormonal imbalances due to pathologies of the thyroid gland or pituitary tumor.
• Abuse of sweets, spicy and spicy foods, fast food.

Also, vasomotor rhinitis in a child can occur as a result of a sudden change in temperature, after hypothermia or mechanical trauma to the nose. Children with congenital abnormal structure of the bony nasal septum are also prone to the disease.

Symptoms and forms of the disease

Depending on the form and etiology of vasomotor rhinitis in children, the symptoms of the disease may vary. There are three main forms of pathology:

• Neurovegetative . It develops in cases of dysfunction of one of the parts of the autonomic nervous system, as well as in children with signs of vegetative-vascular dystonia. At the same time, the endocrine system suffers, hormonal balance is disrupted, jumps in blood pressure appear, and the tone of blood vessels in the nose changes. As a result, at the slightest irritation, the turbinates of the nose swell and breathing becomes difficult.
• Allergic . Occurs after direct contact with an allergen, including animal hair, pollen, food, medicines, dust, polluted air. This form of rhinitis can occur seasonally or year-round.
• Medication . Associated with abuse of vasoconstrictor drugs. If the child’s parents do not comply with the dosage of the drug and use it for longer than 5-7 days, the baby develops dependence, the nose is constantly stuffy, and rhinorrhea occurs.

To distinguish vasomotor rhinitis from colds in children, all parents should know the symptoms of the disease. The baby periodically develops mucous discharge from the nose, even for no apparent reason; it flows down the back laryngeal wall, causing coughing. The baby becomes lethargic, refuses to eat, sneezes, and feels tired.

Over time, insomnia, increased fatigue, and headaches develop. The child's face appears swollen, he sweats profusely, and tears flow from his eyes.

Nasal congestion can occur on one side, alternately, especially when lying down.

If you do not pay attention to such signs, ventilation of the lungs will deteriorate over time, which leads to brain hypoxia due to insufficient oxygen supply.

Diagnostics

Treatment of vasomotor rhinitis in a child begins after diagnosis, which includes:

• analysis of complaints and clinical history (how often congestion occurs, at what time of day, is it related to changes in weather, food intake or medications, does the child have allergies, what is his physical activity);
• general examination for signs of vegetative-vascular dystonia - measuring temperature, assessing the skin, measuring pulse and pressure;
• examination by an ENT doctor using a rhinoscope;
• X-ray – to confirm or refute sinus infection;
• nasal swab to determine the type of pathogen;
• magnetic resonance imaging in the presence of adenoids or polyps in the nose;
• blood and urine tests;
• skin tests for allergic predisposition.

How to treat vasomotor rhinitis in a baby and which doctor should treat it depends on the results obtained during the examination.

Treatment

Treatment of vasomotor rhinitis in a child should be comprehensive. Effective therapy involves finding and eliminating the cause of the disease, conservative treatment and preventive measures.

If there is no result from drug therapy, it is recommended to undergo surgery using laser therapy to cauterize the vessels in the nose.

The main treatment involves eliminating signs of the disease and maintaining immunity to avoid relapses:

• Drugs . Local treatment consists of the use of antimicrobial, antiviral and antibacterial agents, such as Nazoferon, Bioparox, Chlorophyllipt. For allergic rhinitis, antihistamines Zyrtec, Suprastin, Fenistil are prescribed; in severe cases, the use of hormonal nasal sprays - Nasobek, Flixonase, Beconase, Flunisolide - is indicated. To wash off viruses, bacteria and allergens from the surface of the nasal mucosa, a saline solution or preparations based on sea salt Aqua Maris, Humer, Marimer, Dolphin are used. To increase immunity, the drugs Immunal, Interferon, Cycloferon are prescribed.
• Physiotherapy . Physiotherapy is usually prescribed when the disease becomes chronic; in such cases, a course of electrophoresis, UHF, UV irradiation, and heating with a blue lamp is indicated.
• Homeopathy . Euphorbium Compositum is a spray that helps with chronic runny nose, dryness and atrophy of the nasal mucosa, and accelerates recovery from bacterial infections. Delufen is a spray that is safe for the treatment of rhinitis even in newborns, it reduces the level of inflammation, relieves swelling and makes breathing easier. Cinnabsin is a drug prescribed for uncomplicated rhinitis, reduces swelling of the mucous membrane, facilitates breathing, and is sold in capsule form.
• Folk remedies . It helps to cope well with the symptoms of rhinitis in children by instilling drops of honey and beet juice, carrot and beet juice, onion juice diluted in half with water. To increase immunity, the child is given a rosehip decoction and echinacea tincture to drink. Steam inhalations with soda, eucalyptus leaves, essential oils of pine, thuja, mint and lavender are effective.

During treatment, the child should drink plenty of fluids, for example, tea (green and with honey), water, fruit drinks from fresh berries, compotes, freshly squeezed juices. The room needs to be wet cleaned, ventilated and air humidified to 40-50%.

Complications

If you do not pay attention to the symptoms of vasomotor rhinitis in a child, the disease will become chronic, and this is fraught with a severe decrease in immunity and complications:

• chronic infectious diseases of the nose – sinusitis, sinusitis;
• proliferation of nasal polyps, enlarged adenoids;
• frequent otitis – the infection is transmitted through the Eustachian tube or the general bloodstream;
• fatigue, dizziness, decreased brain activity due to oxygen starvation;
• night snoring and apnea.

To avoid such consequences, diagnosis and treatment of a runny nose must be timely, especially when a small child is sick.

Prevention

In order to cure vasomotor rhinitis and prevent its relapse in a child, preventive measures should be followed. The main one is hardening; the baby should often be in the fresh air, do gymnastics or simple sports.

To increase immunity, you can accustom him to a contrast shower, gradually reducing the water temperature.

You need to dress your child according to the weather to avoid not only hypothermia, but also sweating - a bundled up child will quickly sweat and catch a cold in the cold wind.

It is also worth treating chronic diseases of the nasopharynx - while the child suffers from frequent rhinitis, sinusitis and tonsillitis, nasal congestion will not cease to bother him.

Parents should be careful when using vasoconstrictor drops. The structure of the nose in children is imperfect; the slightest overdose of drugs can cause addiction, swelling of the nasal mucosa and signs of vasomotor medicinal rhinitis.

At the initial stage of a runny nose, it is better to get by with rinsing with saline solution and steam inhalation with anti-inflammatory herbs. Read more about inhalations →

Vasomotor rhinitis in a child is not such a harmless disease, since it can have a different etiology and manifest itself with different symptoms.

To distinguish it from the signs of a common cold, you should immediately show the child to a pediatrician and an ENT doctor, especially if rhinitis lasts longer than a week, and the usual methods of treatment do not give positive results. To avoid complications, the child needs complex treatment and high-quality prevention of the disease.

Marina Ermakova, doctor, specially for Moylor.ru

about vasomotor rhinitis

• labored breathing
• mucous discharge from the nose
• sneezing

Source: https://moylor.ru/nos/rinit/vazomotornyj-u-detej/

Symptoms

The first signs of the disease consistently appear in a child at 6 years of age, but pathology occurs at an earlier age. The severity of symptoms depends on several reasons:

• time of allergen exposure;
• degree of concentration;
• general condition of the body.

Common symptoms are:

• one-sided congestion;
• serous discharge from the nose when going outside or from drinking hot drinks;
• frequent, paroxysmal sneezing;
• increased “tearfulness”;
• itching (you want to scratch your nose from the inside);
• increased nervousness, sleep disturbance;
• dullness of smell;
• pronounced pallor of the skin;
• conversation "in the nose" (nasality).

A runny nose in children cannot be ignored, especially such a complex form as vasomotor rhinitis. If oxygen supply to the child’s body is disrupted for a long time, serious health problems in the future are inevitable.

Clinical picture in children

In order to promptly suspect vasomotor rhinitis in their child, parents need to know how it generally manifests itself. The following symptoms are pathognomaniac for this disease:

• difficulty breathing through the nose;
• severe sneezing;
• increased secretion of mucus from the nasal passages (runny nose).

These signs are characteristic of children at any age, even in a newborn, even in a child of high school age, they will be the same. Most often they occur in the form of an attack after exposure to provoking factors (cold air, overexertion, increased blood pressure, etc.)

Nasal discharge may be either watery or mucous. Sometimes the classic symptoms are accompanied by a general deterioration in well-being (malaise, sleep disturbance, etc.).

Forms

The neuro-vegetative form is revealed by malfunctions in the functioning of several body systems: the nervous (central and autonomic) and endocrine systems. The reaction of the mucous membrane becomes completely unpredictable.

In the allergic form, the body becomes highly sensitive to any substance, product, fur or feathers of animals and birds, or medications. In response to an irritant, the body secretes a personal antibody that reveals the symptoms of the disease.

The medicinal form is the body’s response to long-term treatment with vasoconstrictors. The condition is complicated by an unauthorized increase in dosage, which results in persistent congestion and rhinorrhea.

Complications

Vasomotor rhinitis in children is dangerous due to the development of complications arising from improper treatment or as a result of a weakened child’s immune system. The most “popular” reasons for the progression of vasomotor rhinitis into the complicated phase are:

• diseases (otitis, sinusitis);
• formation of polyps;
• physiological changes (fatigue, increased sweating, frequent headaches, decreased performance);
• snoring during sleep, possible pauses in breathing.

As a result of breathing problems, oxygen starvation occurs, which threatens the child’s brain activity.

Complications of vasomotor rhinitis

If the nasal flow continues for a long time, the following complications are possible:

• Acute sinusitis, sinusitis, otitis media, and chronic tonsillitis develop.
• Sleep is disturbed, weakness and fatigue appear.
• Possible heart rhythm disturbances and changes in blood pressure.
• The appearance of snoring, short-term cessation of breathing during sleep, which causes oxygen starvation in the body.

To avoid all these consequences, it is necessary to consult a doctor in time for treatment.

Diagnostics

During the initial examination, the doctor conducts a visual assessment of the condition of the nasal passages. As a result, swelling of the mucous membrane, white or blue spots in the pharynx and larynx are detected.

To clarify the full picture of the pathology, urine and blood tests, bacterial culture tests of mucous secretions, and allergy tests are prescribed. Laboratory studies are designed to confirm the non-infectious origin of rhinitis.

To exclude more serious diseases, histology of the mucous membrane and endoscopy of the nasal passages are required. In particularly difficult cases, radiography of the paranasal sinuses is prescribed.

Forecast

With timely and adequate treatment, the chances of a complete cure for mild to moderate vasomotor rhinitis are highly assessed. A long course of the disease contributes to the development of chronic hypertrophic rhinitis: proliferative changes in the mucous membranes of the nasal cavity become irreversible.

In such cases, surgical intervention is required to achieve a lasting positive effect. In severe forms of vasomotor rhinitis, the prognosis depends on the severity of general symptoms, response to therapy, the presence of complications and concomitant diseases, however, in most cases, stable remission can be achieved.

Therapy

Treatment begins when the first symptoms of the disease appear. Therapeutic treatment methods depend on the form of the disease and are prescribed by an otolaryngologist. To stop liquid discharge from the nasal passages and facilitate breathing, the prescription of vasoconstrictor drugs is practiced.

They are allowed to treat children after 3 years of age; drugs with similar effects are not recommended for children. You can take the medication for no more than 1 week; the consequences of long-term use are:

• hypertrophied rhinitis;
• bleeding;
• epithelial atrophy;
• formation of polyps.

For allergic rhinitis, the technique depends on the body’s reaction to external irritants. Treatment consists of antihistamines, hormonal sprays, and antiallergic tablets.

Antihistamine medications include Cromohexal and Allergodil sprays, as well as Zodak and Loratadine.

Hormonal medications are prescribed based on the child’s age.

1. From 6 years of age, the drug Beconase is recommended. The spray will reduce swelling, nasal discharge, and open up free breathing. Dosage: the product is injected 2 times into the nostril, the daily norm is 2 procedures. Treatment duration is 1 week.
2. Sanorin solution 5% effectively reduces the risk of complications, prevents the development of drowsiness and headaches. Daily dosage: 3 times, 2 drops in both nostrils. If the liquid discharge has stopped and nasal breathing has been restored, the use of the drug is discontinued. Taking such medications requires constant medical supervision and strict adherence to all doctor’s instructions. This is especially true for the treatment of young children.
3. Vibrocil can be used by children from 1 year of age. The substances included in the medicine narrow the veins of the mucous membrane and affect allergies.

In addition, other drugs are used:

• Glivenol, Aescusan - to activate blood flow;
• Sinupred - to reduce the symptoms of the disease.

Tablets are prescribed as antiallergic drugs - Zyrtec, Claritin.

If the child’s condition allows, there is no individual intolerance to individual components, homeopathic preparations are recommended - Delufen, Euphorbium drops. The dosage and terms of use are agreed upon by the attending physician.

Treatment

Vasomotor rhinitis requires complex therapy. It consists of finding the cause of the disease, eliminating it, drug treatment and taking preventive measures.

If conservative treatment is ineffective, surgical intervention is prescribed. The operation involves the destruction or cauterization of dilated blood vessels that are located under the nasal mucosa.

Treatment of the acute form of the disease involves eliminating symptoms and maintaining the child’s immunity. For this purpose it is prescribed:

• fortified food;
• use of immunostimulants;
• taking vitamin C;
• use of local antibacterial and antiviral drugs for the nose.

The use of nasal preparations based on corticosteroid hormones is recommended. They are not addictive and do not affect general blood flow.

If rhinitis occurs in a baby, then to get rid of excess mucus in the nose you need to use a special aspirator. Such devices allow you to effectively clean the nasal cavity. Often crusts form with rhinitis. To soften them, it is recommended to use vegetable oil. It must be instilled directly into the nose.

If the disease is chronic, the doctor may prescribe a course of physiotherapeutic procedures. It could be:

• electrophoresis;
• UZT;
• UHF.

We recommend: Types and varieties of sore throat in children

There are a number of traditional methods of treatment. However, they can only be used at the initial stage of the disease, after consultation with a doctor. Aqueous and oil solutions are quite effective. They are used to rinse the nasal cavity. Other effective folk remedies include:

• herbal decoctions;
• essential oils;
• infusions of medicinal herbs.

Decoctions and essential oils are used for steam inhalation, and infusions are taken orally to strengthen general immunity.

As drops, you can use a product based on Kalanchoe or aloe juice. It needs to be instilled 2-4 times a day. Therapy lasts until the child recovers completely. Before using such a medicine, you need to make sure that the child is not allergic to its components.

Rinsing your nose will be quite effective. For this procedure use:

• chamomile decoction;
• solution of sea or rock salt;
• sage decoction.

To get a good result, the procedure must be carried out 4-5 times a day. Rinsing will not only help clear your nose of excess mucus, but will also increase the effectiveness of medications in the form of drops.

Doctors also recommend steam inhalations. During the procedure, the nasopharynx is warmed up, the mucus is liquefied and easily removed. For inhalation can be used:

• baking soda solution;
• essential oil;
• pine buds;
• needles;
• herbal decoction

The duration of one inhalation should be 8-10 minutes. This manipulation is best done before bedtime, so that the child can go to bed under the covers. To help remove mucus better, it is recommended to raise the pillow a little.

Prevention

A runny nose is rightfully considered one of the most unpleasant health problems, so efforts should be made to prevent the disease. Measures to strengthen blood vessels will help get rid of rhinitis or reduce its harmful effects.

Regular physical exercise is considered the first and best preventive measure.

In second place are medicines, but not only medicines. Short-term vasoconstrictor drugs are successfully replaced by washing with saline solutions - the procedure is completely harmless, improves the tone of the mucous membrane, and systematizes normal breathing through the nose.

As additional measures, ensure the correct temperature at home, regulate humidity, and frequently ventilate the room.