IMPORTANT The information provided is of a general nature and should not be used as a substitute for professional advice. If you think you may suffer from an allergic or other disease that requires attention, you should discuss it with your family doctor. The content of the information articles and all illustrations on this website remains the intellectual property of Dr Raymond Mullins and cannot be reproduced without written permission.

Introduction
Not everyone with a snuffly nose has an allergy. Some have a sinus infection. Others have polyps or twisted nasal anatomy. A dry nose can also feel blocked. In non allergic rhinitis (vasomotor rhinitis), there appears to be an imbalance between the function of nerves supply the blood vessels and glands in the nose.

What is non allergic rhinitis?

Not everybody with a blocked or snuffly nose has allergy. Some will have a sinus infection. Others will have a blocked nose due to twisted anatomy, or an overgrowth of the lining of the nose and sinuses known as polyps. A dry nose sometimes develops with age, or after sinus surgery, in dry climates, with age and air-conditioning and winter heating. In non-allergic rhinitis, there appears to be an imbalance in the function of nerves that make mucous glands secrete fluid and which cause blood vessels to swell or contract. Patients may complain of blockage, runny nose, postnasal drip and even sneezing and itching. The condition usually lasts for years.

 

What makes it worse?
Patients with non allergic rhinitis (also known as vasomotor rhinitis) have an "irritable" nose. Changes in temperature or humidity, or exposure to irritants such as cigarette smoke, perfume or hair sprays can aggravate symptoms. Sometimes dietary factors will as well.

Are tests necessary?
Allergy tests (either skin tests or blood tests) are usually performed to exclude an allergic cause. An examination of the anatomy of the nose is also important. Sometimes additional blood tests or x-rays are needed to exclude other conditions that can give similar symptoms, like nasal polyps or sinus infection.

How can non-allergic rhinitis be treated?
It is often harder to treat non-allergic than allergic rhinitis. This is because there are fewer options; there are no allergens to avoid and immunotherapy does not help, as there is no allrgy to switch off. Options include:

1. •Avoid environmental irritants (where possible)
   

2. •Use steam or salt water sprays to soothe and unblock the nose
   

3. •Tablets (like antihistamines and pseudoephedrine) will often dry the nose if it is runny, but pseudoephedrine is hard to buy these days and often gives side-effects like the shakes, agitation or sleep disturbance.
   

4. •Prescription nasal sprays sometimes unblock and dry the nose if used regularly
   

5. •Surgery is useful to correct anatomical abnormalities.
   

6. •Restricted diets. Although some people find that foods may make their nose a little worse, the results of strict "elimination diets" are often disappointing.
   

Last reviewed 3 February 2010