Repeated sneezing & drippping nose

I am 48 yr mail living in BHILAI INDIA. Since 2005 I have a problem of repeated sneezing and dripping nose. No seasonal pattern but starts mostly after waking up in the morning. Problem remains all season, all places. I have never been prone to cold and cough earlier. Many a times sneezing ends with a prolonged "aaaak-shiii-iiiiiiiiiiiiiii" leading to breathlessness and exhaustion due to the long(ligering) spasm.Sometimes  i have to stop driving suddenly.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

It seems that you are having hay fever or allergic rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis is a collection of symptoms, predominantly in the nose and eyes, caused by airborne particles of dust, dander, or plant pollens in people who are allergic to these substances.In yur case,it can be steel dust as bhilai is famous for its steel plant.

When a person with allergies breathes in an allergen such as pollen or dust, antibodies are produced. When the antibodies are stimulated by pollen and dust, histamine and other chemicals are released. This causes itching, swelling,sneezing and mucus production.

Pls contact an allergic specialist and get skin tests like skin ***** test done. In this a small amount of allergen is introduced into the skin of the forearm and the reaction of the skin is noted. If there is any redness then that person is allergic to the allergen introduced.

You can also get blood tests like RAST done.

You can take OTC antihistaminics like benadryl or Claritin. Longer-acting antihistamines are available by prescription. They cause less drowsiness and can work just as well. These medications include fexofenadine (Allegra), and cetirizine (Zyrtec).

You can also use nasal corticosteroid sprays like nasocort or flonase. Decongestants may also be helpful in reducing symptoms such as nasal congestion, but they should not be used for long periods. Cromolyn sodium is a nasal spray (Nasalcrom) for treating hay fever. Eye drop versions of cromolyn sodium and antihistamines are available for itchy, bloodshot eyes.

If the symptoms are intense then you can go in for immunotherapy. Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing and in case of additional queries.