Nonallergic rhinitis is inflammation of the inner part of the nose that is not caused by an allergy. Nonallergic rhinitis involves symptoms including chronic sneezing or having a congested, drippy nose without an identified allergic reaction. Other common terms for nonallergic rhinitis are vasomotor rhinitis and perennial rhinitis. The prevalence of nonallergic rhinitis in otolaryngology is 40%. Allergic rhinitis is more common than nonallergic rhinitis; however, both conditions have similar presentation, manifestation and treatment. Nasal itching and paroxysmal sneezing are usually associated with nonallergic rhinitis in comparison to allergic rhinitis.
Types
Rhinitis medicamentosa - topical decongestant nasal drops are notorious for causing rebound phenomenon. Their excessive use causes rhinitis if treated by withdrawal of nasal drops, short course of systemic steroid therapy and in some cases, surgical reduction of turbinates, if they have become hypertrophied.
Rhinitis of pregnancy - pregnant women may develop persistent rhinitis due to hormonal changes. Nasal mucous become edematous and block the airway. Some may develop secondary infection and even sinusitis in such cases. Care should be taken while prescribing drugs. Generally, local measures such as limited use of nasal drops, topical steroids and limited surgery to turbinates are sufficient to relate the symptoms. Safety of developing fetus is not established for newer antihistamines and they should be avoided.
Honeymoon rhinitis - this usually follows sexual excitement, leading to nasal stuffiness. The condition appears to be genetically determined and caused by the presence in the nose of erectile tissue which may become engorged during sexual arousal, as a side effect of the signals from the autonomic nervous system that trigger changes in the genitals of both men and women. A related condition called sexually induced sneezing also exists, where people sneeze, sometimes uncontrollably, when engaging in or even thinking about sexual activity. A phenomenon presumably related to honeymoon rhinitis is the frequent side effect of nasal congestion during the use of Viagra or related phosphodiesterase type 5 antagonists.
Gustatory rhinitis - spicy and pungent food may in some people produce rhinorrhea, nasal stuffiness, lacrimation, sweating and flushing of face. It can be relieved by ipratropium bromide nasal spray, a few minutes before meal.
Non-air flow rhinitis - it is seen in patients of laryngectomy, tracheostomy and choanal atresia. Nose is not used for air flow and the turbinates become swollen due to loss of vasomotor control. In choanal atresia there is an additional factor of infection due to stagnation of discharge in the nasal cavity which should otherwise drain freely into nasopharynx.
Photic sneeze reflex is a reflexcondition that causes sneezing in response to looking at bright lights.
Presentation
Paroxysmal sneezing in morning, especially in morning while getting out of the bed. Excessive rhinorrhea - watering discharge from the nose when patient bends forward. Nasal obstruction - bilateral nasal stuffiness alternates from one site to other; this is more marked at night, when the dependent side of nose is often blocked. Postnasal drip.
Complications
Nonallergic rhinitis cases may subsequently develop polyps, turbinate hypertrophy and sinusitis.
Nose examination: The mucosa is usually boggy and edematous with clear mucoid secretions. The turbinates are congested and hypertrophic. Pharynx examination: Mucosal injection and lymphoid hyperplasia involving tonsils, adenoids and base of tongue may be seen.
Investigations
Absolute eosinophil count, nasal smear, skin and in vitro allergy tests to rule out allergic rhinitis, acoustic rhinometry for measuring nasal patency, smell testing, CT scan in cases of sinus disease and MRI in case of mass lesions.
Classification
Treatment
Medical
The avoidance of inciting factors such as sudden changes in temperature, humidity, or blasts of air or dust is helpful. Intranasal application of antihistamines, corticosteroids, or anticholinergics may also be used for vasomotor rhinitis. Intranasal cromolyn sodium may be used in patients older than two years. A Cochrane review concluded that it is unclear whether intranasal corticosteroids, when compared with a placebo, reduce patient‐reported disease severity in people with nonallergic/vasomotor rhinitis due to the low certainty of the evidence available from clinical trials. However, intranasal corticosteroids probably have a higher risk than placebo of the side effect epistaxis. Astelin "is indicated for symptomatic treatment of vasomotor rhinitis including rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, and post nasal drip in adults and children 12 years of age and older."
Surgical
Reduction of hypertrophied turbinates, correction of nasal septum deviation, removal of polyps, sectioning of the parasympathetic secretomotor fiber to nose for controlling refractory excessive rhinorrhea.
