Causes
Vasomotor rhinitis is a pathology that is associated with impaired vascular tone in the nasal mucosa. It occurs in both adults and children. The appearance of vasomotor rhinitis can be triggered by various factors, in particular:
- viral infection;
- hormonal changes that can occur in women during menstruation or pregnancy;
- dust, tobacco smoke, aerosols, and other allergens that enter the nasal cavity;
- severe stress and general exhaustion of the body.
In children, rhinitis can be caused by a deviated nasal septum, as well as inflammation of the nasal sinuses or overgrowth of the adenoids. Also, in patients of this age group, the disease can be triggered by abnormalities in the autonomic nervous system.
The true cause of vasomotor rhinitis can only be determined after a complete examination by a specialist. It is necessary to undergo it, because without information about the cause of the disease, the doctor will not be able to select effective means of combating it.
Types and mechanisms of rhinitis development
Most often during pregnancy, 3 types of rhinitis are diagnosed:
- Vasomotor runny nose: occurs as a result of hormonal changes in the body. An increase in progesterone levels entails fluid retention in tissues and an increase in circulating blood volume. Estrogens contribute to the thickening of the mucous membranes, including the nasal cavity, and increased blood flow to them. As a result, the mucous membrane swells, the nasal passages narrow, and difficulty breathing occurs. Vasomotor rhinitis usually develops in the second half of pregnancy and disappears without a trace after childbirth.
- Allergic rhinitis: caused by changes in the immune system of a pregnant woman. Environmental factors that were not previously allergens for a woman can cause various allergic reactions, including a runny nose, during pregnancy.
- Infectious rhinitis: the vulnerability of a pregnant woman’s body to viruses and bacteria is due to a decrease in local and general immunity. This happens because the woman’s immune system now works “for two.” The most critical periods are 6–8 and 20–28 weeks of pregnancy.
Swelling of the nasal mucosa with rhinitis
Symptoms
Common symptoms of vasomotor rhinitis, which can occur in both children and adults, are:
- increased fatigue and weakness;
- headache, as well as sleep disturbance;
- memory problems;
- loss of appetite;
- difficulty breathing, swelling of the nose.
Also, against the background of vasomotor rhinitis, problems with the lungs and shortness of breath may occur . With a long course of the disease, patients may also experience heart problems due to increased stress on the lungs.
Since the symptoms of vasomotor rhinitis are similar to those of sinusitis and some other ailments of the upper respiratory tract, a complete examination of the patient is necessary to accurately diagnose and prescribe the correct treatment regimen.
In adults
In adult patients, vasomotor rhinitis is manifested only by the main symptoms; breathing may not be very difficult; the nasal mucosa often has a normal color, despite the swelling. Acute stages of the disease usually have a wavy nature with short remissions.
In the absence of adequate treatment for this form of rhinitis in adults, it often becomes a chronic form of the disease and can cause complications. That is why it is so important, if you have symptoms similar to the clinical picture of vasomotor rhinitis, to immediately consult a doctor for further examination and treatment.
In children
In young patients, vasomotor rhinitis is often accompanied by copious nasal discharge, difficulty breathing, itching, increased lacrimation, and redness of the eyelids and face may be observed. The mucous membrane with this disease usually swells greatly. There are also attacks of severe sneezing, as with ordinary rhinorrhea.
In general, the symptoms of this disease in children practically repeat the usual rhinitis with the only difference that it has a wave-like course and usually a longer duration of the disease.
Is it necessary to treat rhinitis in pregnant women?
The symptoms of the disease will go away on their own - this may lead to the idea that it is not worth treating at all. Moreover, expecting a child imposes serious restrictions on the use of medications. To relieve a number of unpleasant moments associated with a runny nose, it is often enough to change some household habits. For all cases of vasomotor rhinitis, regardless of its nature, doctors give the following recommendations:
- control the humidity levels in the rooms where you are; dry air causes hyperactivity of the nasal mucosa, which begins to produce more mucus;
- eliminate potential allergens (dust mites, pollen);
- during the day, take several breaks for physical activity (even regular walks and light exercises open the nasal passages well);
- while sleeping, raise the pillow or head of the bed to at least 30 degrees (up to 45 is possible), in this position the patency of the nasal passages improves.
Possible complications
Types of rhinitis
Vasomotor rhinitis without proper and timely treatment can lead to a number of complications, including acute sinusitis, which over time can also develop into a chronic stage that is difficult to treat. In addition, this disease can provoke the development of sore throat, laryngitis and other throat diseases. This is due to the fact that vasomotor rhinitis makes nasal breathing difficult, and a person has to constantly breathe through the mouth. As a result, the mucous membrane of the throat becomes irritated and dries out all the time, which provokes infection with various microbes.
In addition to these ailments, vasomotor rhinitis can also be provoked by decreased hearing, constant headache, tachycardia, and increased intracranial pressure. The development of such ailments greatly complicates the diagnosis of vasomotor rhinitis and the selection of adequate means for its treatment, which is why it is so important to begin treatment of this disease as early as possible, following the doctor’s recommendations in all matters.
How to quickly cure a persistent runny nose
A poorly treated runny nose is fraught with the development of complications, including bronchitis, nasopharyngitis, sinusitis, sinusitis, otitis media, frontal sinusitis and many others.
A prolonged runny nose is often accompanied by thick purulent discharge, severe headache, increased body temperature, weakened condition, and decreased performance.
Effective treatment for a persistent runny nose includes the following measures:
- Rinse the nose with saline or sea water using special devices or a regular syringe without a needle. It is necessary to lean over the sink, hold your breath, apply pressure under pressure to one nostril and allow it to flow out of the other nostril without any residue. The manipulation should be repeated until the nasal cavity is completely cleared of purulent mucus. Residues can be removed if necessary using an aspirator.
- An antiseptic or local antibiotic should be poured into the cleansed nasal passages as prescribed by the attending physician.
Treatment
Treatment of vasomotor rhinitis is selected for the patient based on diagnostic data and depends on the cause of the disease, as well as the age of the patient. Let's take a separate look at typical therapy techniques applicable for adults and children suffering from this disease.
In adults
In adults, treatment of vasomotor rhinitis comes down to a series of physical procedures and irrigation of the nasal cavity with a finely dispersed solution. Treatment is often carried out in an outpatient setting, since it is not possible to properly treat the nasal cavity at home.
Along with this treatment, adults can also be prescribed antiallergic drugs or antiviral drugs, depending on the cause of the disease. In case of hormonal disorders, additional general therapy is prescribed, which should normalize the endocrine system.
Treatment of vasomotor rhinitis with laser
In children
The first thing a doctor pays attention to when examining children with vasomotor rhinitis is the shape of their nasal septum. If it is severely curved, surgical treatment is prescribed, which also includes sanitizing the cavity and performing physical procedures to cleanse the mucosa. Additionally, a course of general strengthening medications is prescribed, and if necessary, antibiotics.
For children whose nasal septum has a normal shape, conservative treatment with physical procedures aimed at sanitizing the cavity is prescribed.
When treating vasomotor rhinitis, nasal sprays and drops that have a vasoconstrictor effect can be prescribed. However, in this case it is not recommended to take them for a long time in order to avoid complications.
Folk remedies
Treatment of vasomotor rhinitis with folk remedies involves the use of special drops, rinsing solutions, and medicinal teas for this purpose. It may also include nasal massage to help increase lymph flow. The most popular means used in this type of treatment are:
- Honey solution. Used for rinsing. Prepare in the proportions of 1 spoon of honey per glass of water.
- Fir oil. Applicable for rubbing areas of the maxillary sinuses.
- Kalanchoe juice. Apply in the form of drops. It is necessary to instill 8 drops into each nostril before bed, during the day, and in the evening.
- Calendula ointment. Apply to the nasal mucosa 3 times a day.
All these remedies help to significantly alleviate the patient’s condition. However, they can only be used if the disease is not protracted and you personally do not have an individual intolerance to the main active components of the medicine.
Folk remedies are not always truly effective for vasomotor rhinitis. Often they only remove the symptoms of the disease, but do not eliminate its cause, which causes the disease to reappear. That is why they should be used, coordinating the use of such drugs with the attending physician, and in the absence of the desired effect from treatment, switch from such drugs to methods of traditional medicine.
ACC: instructions for use, dosage forms, features of use.
Read what antibiotics you can take for sinusitis here.
Children's cough syrups: //drlor.online/preparaty/ot-kashlya/siropy-dlya-detej-spisok-bezopasnyx.html
Medicines for rhinitis
Diagnosis of acute and chronic rhinitis includes rhinoscopy, examination of the pharynx and oral cavity, physical examination, CT or MRI, radiography and medical history.
For inflammation of the nasal mucosa, the following may be prescribed:
- Alpha adrenergic agonists with a vasoconstrictor effect (Tizin Xylo, Sanorin, Naphthyzin, Sigida Crystal, Snoop, Galazolin). They are used for acute and allergic rhinitis. Adrenomimetics cannot be used for a long time due to the risk of mucosal atrophy and the development of addiction.
- Oil-based products (Pinosol). Indicated for acute and chronic atrophic inflammation, as well as dry nasal mucosa.
- Corticosteroids in spray form (Fluticasone, Budesonide).
- Combined antibacterial agents (Polydex).
- Antibacterial agents (Isofra).
- Mast cell membrane stabilizers (Cromohexal, Cromoglin, Hi-Krom). Effective for allergic rhinitis.
- Systemic antiallergic drugs (Zodak, Telfast, Fexadin, Allegra, Dinox).
- Systemic antibiotics.
- Ointments (Mometasone, Momederm). Used for year-round allergic rhinitis.
- Antiviral agents (Kagocel, Tamiflu, Trekrezan, Oksolin in ointment form).
- Interferons.
- Solutions (alkaline, saline, disinfectant). Effective for lakes.
- Antiseptics (Lugol's solution, silver nitrate solution). The use of antiseptics is possible for infectious inflammation and mucosal atrophy.
- Oils. Effective for atrophic rhinitis.
- Proteolytic enzymes. Used during ozena to cleanse the mucous membrane of crusts.
- Combined agents (Vibrocil). Helps cope with acute, chronic, vasomotor and allergic rhinitis.
- Nasal rinsing solutions (Aqualor Forte, Aqua-Maris). A solution of sea salt is useful.
In the hypertrophic form of the disease, medications are ineffective. Surgery required. If you have an allergic rhinitis, along with taking medications, you need to limit contact with allergens (avoid dust, flowers, insects, use a respirator or mask) and rinse your nose after walking during flowering plants. Physiotherapy, smoking cessation, speleotherapy and proper nutrition are also useful for rhinitis. Treatment procedures and medications are selected individually.
