Allergic Rhinitis (Hay Fever)

Allergic rhinitis, often called hay fever, is a common allergy condition that causes inflammation inside the nose. It happens when your immune system reacts to allergens in the air. Allergic rhinitis can be seasonal or year-round. Seasonal allergic rhinitis usually appears during certain times of the year, such as spring, summer, or fall, when pollen or outdoor mold counts are higher. Year-round allergic rhinitis, also called perennial allergic rhinitis, can happen most months or all year and is often linked to indoor allergens such as dust mites, pet dander, mold, or cockroach allergen. At Allergy & Asthma Physicians of Commerce Township, we diagnose and treat allergic rhinitis at our Commerce Township and Mount Clemens offices.

What Causes Allergic Rhinitis?

Common allergic rhinitis triggers include tree pollen, grass pollen, weed pollen, mold spores, dust mites, and pet dander. When your immune system reacts to one of these triggers, it releases chemicals that can irritate your nose, eyes, throat, and sinuses. Many patients notice allergy symptoms after being outdoors, mowing the lawn, sleeping near a pet, cleaning dusty areas, or spending time in damp spaces where mold may grow.

Common Allergic Rhinitis Symptoms

Allergic rhinitis symptoms may include sneezing, a runny nose, nasal congestion, itching in the nose or throat, postnasal drip, coughing, watery or itchy eyes, sinus pressure, and tiredness from poor sleep. Symptoms can be mild for some people and more disruptive for others, especially when allergies affect sleep, work, school, exercise, or daily activities.

How Allergic Rhinitis Is Diagnosed

We diagnose allergic rhinitis by reviewing your symptoms, when they happen, and what seems to trigger them. Allergy testing can help identify the exact allergens causing your symptoms. This may include skin prick testing, where small amounts of allergens are placed on the skin, or blood testing that looks for allergy antibodies. Testing is especially helpful if symptoms are frequent, if allergy medicine is not working well, or if you are interested in allergy shots or allergy tablets.

Allergic Rhinitis Treatment Options

Allergic rhinitis treatment often starts with avoidance counseling, which means learning simple ways to reduce exposure to your triggers. This may include keeping windows closed on high pollen days, showering after outdoor activities, washing bedding in hot water, reducing indoor humidity, using dust mite covers, and keeping pets out of the bedroom if pet allergy is a trigger. Medications may include saline rinses, antihistamines, nasal steroid sprays, allergy eye drops, or other prescription options. If symptoms continue, allergy immunotherapy may be recommended. Immunotherapy can be given as allergy shots or as daily sublingual allergy tablets placed under the tongue. Sublingual allergy tablet options include Grastek for timothy grass allergy, Ragwitek for short ragweed allergy, and Odactra for dust mite allergy.

How Long Does Allergic Rhinitis Last?

How long allergic rhinitis lasts depends on your triggers. Seasonal allergies may last for weeks to months during pollen season. Year-round allergies can continue as long as you are exposed to the allergen. You should see us if allergy symptoms interfere with sleep, school, work, exercise, or daily life; if over-the-counter allergy medicine is not helping; if you have frequent sinus infections, wheezing, or asthma symptoms; or if you want to discuss allergy testing and treatment options that fit your lifestyle.

You can also see all the allergy conditions we treat.

Medically reviewed by Pulin P. Patel, DO, FACAAI