Allergic Rhinitis-Learning ability

Can allergic rhinitis decrease learning ability? Can it affect memory,concentration?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

I have read your post carefully.First of all don’t loose heart if your project was taken away from you.Ups and downs are a part on one’s life and after every dusk there is dawn.

Regarding your query on whether allergic rhinitis can influence performance and effect learning ability and concentration,the answer is yes.Quality of life is effected because of allergic rhinitis leading to fatigue, decrease in energy, decreased conecentration, social function, confusion, irritability, anxiety, sleepiness, apathy, and depression.
Psychoneuroimmunology and medical genetics research suggests have even suggested this.But it is yet to be proved although research on this topic is already going on.

Experts believe the top two culprits contributing to cognitive impairment of people with allergic rhinitis are sleep interruptions and over the counter (OTC) medications.
Secondary factors, such as blockage of the Eustachian tube (ear canal), also can cause hearing problems that have a negative impact on learning and comprehension.

I am listing a website in which many methods to improve with such distressing symptoms are there.Pls log on to this as it will prove helpful: http://www.acaai.org/public/advice/cogn.htm

I hope that helps. Please do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional queries. Kind regards.

[crystalfresh]

I get sleepy when the mucus irritates my air way opening. Due to the irritation I breathe slower and less and my recorded o2/co2 finger oxygen meter thing in the docs office drops from 100% down to 98% and sometimes 97%. While that still maybe enough oxygen I still feel it. I take my nasal spray and inhaler for asthma and I go back up to 100% in 5 minutes and I wake back up. Not sure if this helps.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

First of all you need to boost your confidence levels.In no way,you should consider yourself inferior to others.In my opinion,you will help a lot after a psychiatrist’s or psychologist’s consultation as your morale is down and your symptoms are of early anxiety or depression.

Secondly,excessive daytime sleepiness can be due to sleep-wake cycle disorder like in night shifts, sleep apnea and other sleep-related breathing disorders, psychiatric disorders like anxiety,depression and schizophrenia,diabetes,obesity,restless leg syndrome,use of drugs or alcohol and narcolepsy(Abnormal sleep disorder leading to excessive daytime drowsiness).In your case,I feel that all is related to stress and anxiety and allergic rhinitis.

Thirdly,difficulty in digesting is not due to allergic rhinitis but due to acid reflux or gall bladder disease. Eat small nutritious meals at frequent intervals instead of a heavy single meal. Exercise frequently and take your dinner atleast 2 hrs prior to bedtime. Also raise the head end of the bed by 2 blocks. To help control the stomach acid, one should not drink alcohol or drinks with caffeine in them, or eat chocolate or spicy or greasy foods .

Take some OTC antacid like Mylanta, zantac(ranitidine)or prilosec(omeprazole).These will help.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional doubts.

[Amti]

Thanks Kindd for your reply.
Yes you are true, my confidence level is very low at this time and only imrovement in my health and most important is grasping power which is required to perform in my current work only can boost it.I can not act like having confidence which is of no mean.I agree with you that acidity causing indigestion since I also have heartburn problem in which warm watrey fluid comes in my mouth frequently.It increases when I have heavy to digest food.When I eat oily food then my body becomes heavy and lazy.I dont smoke,dont consume alcohol and also avoid heavy food.After taking so much care also I am sufferring and concerned about my future.Is it better to swith to a job with low profile?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

How are you?

Whether or not you should shift to a job with a low profile is an independent decision but I think that even if you shift to a new job,unless and until you raise your confidence and try to find a cure for your problems,you will not be satisfied with that job also.There is no profession without hurdles but the success of an individual lies in overcoming those hurdles.Everyone is talented,but successful are the ones who recognize their talent and use it to their optimum.

Regarding your health problems,I feel that once your allergic rhinitis and GERD will be dealt with,there will be no looking back.I have listed some of the useful remedies for GERD and sinusitis in my earlier posts.Pls look at them and also take an opinion from an allergist and gastroenterologist to keep a medical follow up.I sincerely hope it should help.
Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional queries.Kind regards.

[Amti]

I am feeling better now as I am taking Montelukast 10 mg for more than a month which has stopped almost upto 90% of sneezing.But still symptoms like heaviness in head, lazyness in body, afternoon sleepiness still exist.Although I get uninterrupted sleep, I get so sleepy in the afternoon around 1 pm to 5 pm that sometimes it is very difficult to avoid it.
Can any one let me know whether these symptoms can go away?