Can You Have Allergies Without Runny Nose

Key Points About Rhinitis

• Rhinitis is a reaction that happens in the eyes, nose, and throat when allergens in the air trigger histamine to be released in the body.

• Some of the most common causes of rhinitis are pollen, dust mites, mold, cockroach waste, animal dander, fumes and odors, hormonal changes, and smoke.

• Symptoms of rhinitis include: sneezing, stuffy, runny, and itchy nose, and itchy throat, eyes, and ears, nosebleeds, clear drainage from the nose, ear infections that keep coming back, snoring, breathing through the mouth, and tiredness.

• Treatment for rhinitis includes: medicines, allergy shots, and surgery for some health problems

• Preventive measures for rhinitis include avoiding what you are allergic to.

Complications Of Allergic Rhinitis

If you have allergic rhinitis, thereâs a risk you could develop further problems.

A blocked or runny nose can result in difficulty sleeping, drowsiness during the daytime, irritability and problems concentrating. Allergic rhinitis can also make symptoms of asthma worse.

The inflammation associated with allergic rhinitis can also sometimes lead to other conditions, such as nasal polyps, sinusitis and middle ear infections. These are described below.

Background On Food Allergies

An allergic reaction occurs when your body mounts an immune response to something that it identifies as harmful. In an allergic reaction to food, your immune system attacks certain proteins in foods, according to MayoClinic.com. The most common foods that cause allergic reactions are peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, fish and eggs. Children may be allergic to milk and wheat, too. Your runny nose and sneezing from food allergies are most likely to occur after you eat one of those foods.

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Dealing With Nonallergic Rhinitis

Start by trying to avoid known triggers. If a drug is the culprit, ask your doctor about trying an alternative.

If you can’t avoid the trigger, first see whether a daily saline rinseoften applied using tools such as neti pots or bulb syringeshelps ease your symptoms.

You can also consider using a spray that contains the prescription nasal antihistamine azelastine . Steroid sprays can also work well for persistent symptoms.

How Does Your Nose Work To Protect Your Body

Your breathing process starts in your nose. Air gets into your lungs through your nose. It helps filter, humidify, warm or cool the air that comes through it so that the air that gets to your lungs is clean.

A special lining of mucosa, or a moist tissue, covers the area inside your nose and consists of many mucus-producing glands. As bacteria, allergens, dust or other harmful particles come into the nose, the mucus traps them. Mucus contains antibodies, or enzymes, which kill unwanted bacteria and viruses.

The mucosa lining also includes cilia, tiny hair-like structures. The cilia are continually in motion and move the collected harmful particles and the mucus that they are trapped in through your nose into the back of your throat. Its then swallowed and destroyed by the acid in your stomach. Mucus and particles can also be coughed up or sneezed out.

When outdoor temperatures turn cold, the pace of this process slows down. Many times, the mucus stays in your nose and then drips or dribbles out.

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How Do I Get Rid Of My Runny Nose What Medicines Should I Try

Prescription medicines, such as antibiotics are not needed to treat a runny nose, which usually gets better on its own. Sometimes, an over-the-counter decongestant medicine may help adults, but might not be appropriate if you have certain conditions or take other medications. Check with your healthcare provider to see what over-the-counter medicines are appropriate for you.

Typically, the best treatment for a runny nose includes:

• Drink plenty of fluids, especially water.
• Use a saline nasal spray to help relieve symptoms. Limit the use of decongestant nasal sprays to no longer than a few days, as instructed on package labels.
• A cool-mist humidifier at your bedside can combat congestion worsened by dry winter air.

Unless recommended by your healthcare provider, dont give over-the-counter cold medicines to a child under age four.

Can Allergies Cause A Runny Itchy Nose

Yes, allergies can be one of the leading causes of a runny, itchy nose not to mention a range of other nasal symptoms4. These common reactions are part of your bodys defense mechanism against foreign substances, such as allergens. When you breathe in an allergen through your nose:

• You might feel a tickle in your nose, which may cause you to scrunch up your nose
• Your nose could feel dry and itchy, or it may be moist with mucus, causing a runny nose

A runny or itchy nose is usually triggered as your bodys immune system reacts to an allergen2. To most people, these allergens are harmless, but if you have an allergy your body may think such an irritant is intruding. To protect you, it produces a chemical known as histamine, which can cause the mucus membranes in your nose to inflame.

Another way your nose fights off allergens is by trapping the intruding particles to keep them out of your lungs, which may cause an itch3. It also produces more mucus to flush them out, resulting in a runny nose and sneezing.

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Drink Plenty Of Fluids

Drinking fluids and staying hydrated when dealing with a runny nose can be helpful if you also have symptoms of nasal congestion.

This ensures that mucus in your sinuses thins out to a runny consistency and is easy for you to expel. Otherwise, it may be thick and sticky, which can make your nose more congested.

Avoid beverages that dehydrate rather than hydrate. This includes drinks like coffee and beverages containing alcohol.

Do You Have Allergies Or A Cold

A cold is caused by a viral infection. In order to protect you from the virus, your bodys immune system releases white blood cells.

This causes an increase in mucous production and leads to your nose and throat becoming inflamed. You will become tired because your body is using up a lot of energy fighting the virus.

Allergies are different. An allergic reaction is caused by your body mistaking a harmless substance for something dangerous and attacking it. The sneezing and coughing you experience with allergies are caused by your body trying to fight off the allergen.

Colds are contagious and usually last for three to 14 days. They come with a cough, sore throat and a runny nose. Often they are accompanied by aches and fatigue. Itchy, watery eyes and a fever rarely occur.

Allergies are not contagious and can last as long as you are in contact with what you are allergic to. Itchy, watery red eyes and a runny or stuffy nose are common with allergies. Usually, these symptoms are accompanied by a cough, fatigue and a sore throat. The main difference between allergy symptoms and cold symptoms is that allergies never come with aches or a fever.

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Diagnosing Colds And Allergies

You dont need to see your doctor for a cold, but if you do make an appointment, your symptoms will likely be enough for them to confirm your diagnosis.

If your doctor thinks you might have a bacterial infection such as strep throat or pneumonia, you might need other tests such as a throat culture or chest X-ray.

For allergies, you may need to see a primary care doctor, an ear-nose-throat doctor, or an allergist. The doctor will first ask about your symptoms. Severe or life-threatening allergic reactions often require the care of an allergy specialist.

A variety of tests can be used to diagnose allergies. A skin test can be used to determine your allergy triggers. Sometimes primary doctors or allergy specialists may also use blood tests to diagnose allergies depending on your age and other health conditions.

When Should I Contact A Healthcare Provider To Treat A Runny Nose

A runny nose will typically go away on its own. However, a healthcare provider should be contacted if:

• The symptoms continue for more than 10 days and there is no improvement.
• Symptoms are severe or unusual.
• Drainage from your young childs nose comes from only one side and is green, bloody or foul-smelling, or if you have other reason to believe there may be a foreign object stuck in their nose.

Your healthcare provider will perform a physical examination to make sure the runny nose is not a symptom of a more serious condition.

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What Can Cause A Clear Runny Nose

A runny nose happens due to an increase in the production of nasal mucus. While a runny nose can have many causes, it often occurs due to inflammation of the tissues inside your nose. This is known as rhinitis.

The extra fluid thats produced can drain from your nose, down the back of your throat , or both. While nasal mucus can have a variety of colors, the medical term for a runny nose with thin, clear fluid is rhinorrhea.

Now lets examine some of the potential causes of a constant runny nose with clear fluid.

How You Can Tell The Difference Between Cold And Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

With both allergies and colds, its typical to have congestion or a runny nose, and to sneeze often. You may also feel tired and drowsy. But there are several other symptoms that dont often overlap between allergies and a cold. Here are some of the telltale differences between cold symptoms and allergy symptoms.

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Allergies Rarely Cause Sore Throats Or Body Aches

The only ache you may feel with allergies is a headache from all that congestion. Allergies can cause a sore throat if theres enough irritation from post-nasal drip and coughing, but if youre experiencing a sore throat or mild body aches, theyre more likely a sign of a bad cold.

Can allergies cause chills? No. If you have chills, its more likely you have a cold, the flu or another infection .

Why Do I Sneeze And Cough All The Time

You can live your whole life without having any issues with allergies and suddenly develop wheezing, coughing, red eyes, and yup, sneezing thanks to adult-onset seasonal allergies. One sign your sneezing might be due to seasonal allergies: Many people with seasonal allergies have machine gun-style

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Horizontal Nasal Line Indicates Possible Allergy

When children rub their nostrils up and down and wiggle their nose side to side, the movement creates a wrinkle or crease on top of their nose. Often, the line or crease is white or reddish in color. “If a child has been dealing with an itchy, sneezy, runny nose for weeks, and we see a horizontal line on the nose, we suspect allergies,” explains Dr. Lee. “That crease is pretty much exclusive to allergy sufferers who rub their nose.”

How You Can Tell The Difference Between Allergies Cold Flu And Covid

Eyes watering? Runny nose? Feel like your head is locked in an ever-tighter vice?

Sounds like the start of seasonal allergies, maybe a cold or flu . . . but not COVID-19.

To keep anxiety levels down, and reduce the crush on local healthcare during the coronavirus pandemic, its important to know the difference between seasonal allergies or other illness and the more serious COVID-19.

This novel coronavirus causes a respiratory illness manifested by fever, cough and difficulty breathing, said Dr. Virginia Bieluch, the chief of infectious diseases at The Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain.

Pay particular attention to that combination of three symptoms. Less frequently, says the World Health Organization, a COVID-19 infection can produce symptoms similar to the flu like aches and pains, sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion or diarrhea.

Allergies, unlike coronavirus, do not cause a fever and seldom shortness of breath. Yet the sneezing, runny nose, congestion and itchy, watery eyes are more than an inconvenience. Sometimes allergy sufferers dont know whether theyre suffering from seasonal allergies, a nasty cold or even asthma that might require a doctors attention.

A cold usually reveals itself gradually. The flu can hit like an anvil.

Flu symptoms will permeate the entire body, says Dr. Bieluch.

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Allergies Do Not Cause Fevers

People often wonder if allergies can cause a fever. The answer is no. Allergies cannot cause a fever, though you could have an allergy flare-up at the same time youre experiencing a fever from an infection. For example, since allergies tend to cause stuffy noses, theyre also considered risk factors for sinus infections. Sinus infections happen when mucus gets trapped in the sinuses, allowing bacteria or viruses to grow.

With a cold, your temperature can run warmer, but typically it will be less than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Itchy Nose And Seasonal Allergies

If a man thinks about his nose at all, he’s likely to think of it as a simple organ of smell. It’s true, of course, that the nose is responsible for the sense of smell, but smell means much more than the ability to enjoy pleasing scents. Because smell contributes importantly to taste, it plays a central role in maintaining good nutrition. Smell can also warn us of dangers ranging from toxic fumes and smoky fires to spoiled food.

Allergic rhinitis can blunt the sense of smell, and it can also interfere with the other important functions of the nose. When your nasal passages are functioning normally, about five to eight quarts of air pass through them each minute. Your nose has the job of conditioning that air before it reaches the sensitive tissue of your lungs. Your nose adds moisture, but to do that, it must produce large amounts of mucus. It also warms the air, with help from a large network of blood vessels. Finally, the nose traps small particles, keeping them out of the lungs.

If you have allergies and your nose traps pollen or other particles to which you are sensitive, an inflammatory process starts right in your nose. Immune system mast cells in the nasal tissue release chemicals such as histamine and leukotrienes. Blood vessels swell, causing nasal congestion, and mucus production soars, creating a runny nose. Just like that, you’ve developed some of the symptoms of allergic rhinitis and some of your nose’s normal functions have been compromised.

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What Is A Skin Prick Test

This common test is painless and accurate, though it may be a little uncomfortable. Your provider places a small sample of different allergens on your skin and scratches or pricks the skin with a needle. Scratching the skin allows the allergen to get under the surface.

If youre allergic to the allergen, the area will become red, itchy and irritated in 15 to 30 minutes. You may develop raised, hive-like welts called wheals that show an allergic reaction. A skin prick test is a safe, effective way to determine which allergens are causing your symptoms.

What Is Hay Fever

Hay fever is the common name for allergic rhinitis. Hay fever describes a reaction that occurs when your nose or eyes come in contact with allergens to which you are sensitive, such as pollens, dust mites, moulds or animal dander. For some people, exposure to these allergens can trigger an immune response , which leads to swelling and inflammation in the inner lining of the nose .

Hay fever affects 1 in 5 people in Australia. Despite its name, its not caused by hay and doesnt cause a fever.

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What Treatment Is Recommended For A Runny Nose Due To An Allergy

• Stay indoors when the pollen count is high, usually in the early morning and on windy days.
• Keep windows closed during allergy season, and use air conditioning whenever possible.
• Wear a dust mask if working outdoors. Change clothing and take a shower right away after coming indoors.
• Avoid contact with cats and dogs if you are sensitive to animal dander.

Also, there are many safe and effective over-the-counter medications available to help control allergy symptoms, such as nasal steroid sprays and oral antihistamines. If the symptoms are severe, your healthcare provider may recommend prescription medications, or refer you to an allergist for testing and targeted therapy.

A Pediatrician Shares Eight Ways To Tell The Difference Between A Cold And Allergies

If your child seems to constantly have a runny nose, cough or congestion, you are not alone.

“It’s not unusual for kids to get six to eight colds per year, lasting from 10-14 days,” explains Michael Lee, M.D., a pediatrician with Children’s Health. “Additionally, seasonal allergies have become more prevalent.”

So how can parents tell if it’s a cold or allergies? Dr. Lee explains the difference between causes and symptoms in kids.

Related podcast

Learn more about how to help a child with seasonal allergies by listening to the Children’s Health Checkup podcast.

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Runny Nose From Allergies: Symptoms And Treatment

• Frequently Asked Questions

Allergies occur when your body overreacts to a harmless substance called an allergen. A runny nose, along with other nasal symptoms such as stuffiness or sneezing, is typically caused by allergic rhinitiscommonly called hay fever. Allergies often worsen during certain seasons or with changes in the weather. Learn more about how allergies cause a runny nose and how to treat it in this article.

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