What Are My Treatment Options for Chronic Rhinitis?

If you’re dealing with chronic rhinitis, you’re not alone. Rhinitis is the fifth most common chronic condition in America, affecting up to 30% of adults and 40% of children.

Chronic rhinitis — a condition characterized by persistent inflammation and irritation of the nasal passages — can cause frustrating symptoms like nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose, and postnasal drip that last for months or even years.

At Memorial Village Sinus and Hearing, Conrad McCutcheon, MD, FACS regularly diagnoses and treats chronic rhinitis, and if you’re struggling, we encourage you to visit us in Houston, Texas. In the meantime, here are a few common treatment options for chronic rhinitis.

Find out what’s causing your symptoms

Before you try any treatments, it’s important to pinpoint the root cause of your symptoms. This condition may result from allergies (allergic rhinitis), irritants (nonallergic rhinitis), or structural issues such as a deviated septum. 

Identifying the root cause and getting started with the right treatment plan can significantly reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.

Avoid your triggers

For both allergic and nonallergic rhinitis, you can focus on reducing your exposure to known triggers. For allergic rhinitis, this means reducing contact with common allergens like pollen, dust mites, pet dander, and mold. 

You might consider:

• Using air purifiers and vacuums with HEPA filters to trap allergens
• Frequently washing bed linens 
• Using hypoallergenic bedding and dehumidifiers to reduce dust and mold indoors
• Dusting and vacuuming regularly 
• Keeping your pets out of your bedroom if you’re allergic to pet dander
• Keeping your home “shoe-free” to avoid tracking irritants and allergens inside

On high pollen days or low air quality days, keep your windows shut. Not sure if it’s a high pollen day? You can check on most weather apps or on the Houston Health Department site.

Treating rhinitis with medication

There are many options — including oral medications and nasal sprays — to help you manage your symptoms. Some are available over the counter and you need a prescription for others.

Depending on what’s contributing to your rhinitis, Dr. McCutcheon may recommend one or more of the following:

Antihistamines

Oral or nasal antihistamines block histamine. Your body releases histamine in response to allergens and it can produce inflammatory, allergic responses. When these medications block histamine, it can reduce your sneezing, itching, and runny nose. 

Common antihistamines include cetirizine (Zyrtec), loratadine (Claritin), fexofenadine (Allegra), and azelastine (Astelin).

Decongestants 

Decongestants, like pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine, also help reduce nasal congestion, but they do so differently. Instead of blocking histamine, they help dry up the mucous. 

They’re available as oral medications or nasal sprays but should only be used short-term due to the risk of rebound congestion, also known as rhinitis medicamentosa.

Nasal corticosteroids

Nasal corticosteroid sprays — such as fluticasone (Flonase), mometasone (Nasonex), and budesonide (Rhinocort) — can also help treat chronic rhinitis. They reduce inflammation in your nasal passages and can relieve symptoms like congestion, runny nose, and sneezing.

Nasal irrigation for chronic rhinitis

Nasal irrigation with saline helps clear mucus from your sinuses and reduces inflammation. This involves using a saline solution in a device like a neti pot or saline spray bottle to rinse the nasal passages.

Safety tip: Always follow the instructions on your neti pot or saline spray carefully. Poor hygiene practices can introduce bacteria into your nasal cavities. Never share neti pots or saline spray with any other individuals. If multiple people in your home need saline spray, use a permanent marker to label each bottle.

Allergy shots or drops for allergic rhinitis

If you have allergic rhinitis that doesn’t respond well to other treatments, you might consider immunotherapy. This involves receiving regular injections (or sublingual drops) of small amounts of allergens to help your immune system build tolerance over time.

Allergy shots and allergy drops can reduce sensitivity to allergens and provide long-term relief from symptoms, but the process can take several years. You’ll need to stay committed to frequent, regular treatments to reap these benefits.

Minimally invasive treatment for chronic rhinitis

If you have moderate-to-severe symptoms of chronic rhinitis, you may be a candidate for ClariFix® Cryotherapy. This breakthrough treatment corrects the underlying problem causing chronic rhinitis: overactive nerves.

Cryotherapy uses controlled cooling technology to precisely target and freeze tissue, disabling the affected nerves. Dr. McCutcheon uses the ClariFix device to apply cryotherapy to the hyperactive nerves at the back of your nose, giving you relief from chronic rhinitis. 

Surgery for chronic rhinitis

In some cases, chronic rhinitis may require surgical intervention, especially if there are structural problems in your nasal passages or sinuses.

• Turbinate reduction: addresses enlarged  turbinates that block airflow
• Septoplasty: straightens a deviated septum

If you need nasal surgery, Dr. McCutcheon performs an in-office sinus-optimized computed tomography (CT) scan using the MiniCAT 2020™. He uses the images from this scan to plan your surgery.

Get the right rhinitis treatment

While chronic rhinitis can be everything from embarrassing to annoying to painful — especially if your nose is cracked and dry from constantly blowing — you don’t have to wade through your list of treatment options alone.

Give us a call at 281-822-3777 to schedule an appointment with the Memorial Village Sinus and Hearing team to find a treatment that works for you. You can also schedule an appointment online.