What is allergic rhinitis and how to distinguish it from a cold?

Allergic rhinitis is an inflammatory disease of the nasal mucosa that develops in response to exposure to various allergens, such as plant pollen, mold spores, house dust, or animal dander. The immune system mistakenly takes these safe substances for dangerous agents and begins to produce specific antibodies, which leads to the release of histamine and other inflammatory mediators. This causes characteristic symptoms that are often confused with a common cold or ARVI.

The main difference between allergic rhinitis and a viral infection lies in the nature of the course and concomitant symptoms. With an allergy, nasal discharge is always liquid, clear, and watery, whereas with a cold, it eventually becomes thick, yellowish, or greenish. In addition, the allergic process is almost always accompanied by severe nasal itching, bouts of sneezing, tearing, and itching in the eyes. With a cold, general body intoxication comes to the forefront: fever, body aches, weakness, and sore throat, which are not characteristic of a pure allergy.

Another important diagnostic sign is the duration and conditions under which symptoms appear. A cold usually goes away in 7-10 days, while allergic rhinitis can bother a person for weeks and months as long as contact with the irritant persists. Allergy symptoms often worsen after going outside in windy weather or during house cleaning, and indoors or after taking antihistamine medications, the condition noticeably improves.

For an accurate diagnosis, you need to consult an allergist-immunologist. The doctor will collect a detailed medical history and may prescribe skin tests or a blood test for specific immunoglobulin E classes. The main treatment methods include the following steps: