General Medical Information

Allergic Rhinitis

Shawn D. Newlands

The diagnosis of allergic rhinitis often is suspected on clinical grounds. Classic symptoms of allergic rhinitis include paroxysms of sneezing, nasal pruritus, nasal congestion, clear rhinorrhea, and itching of the palate. Allergic rhinitis often is accompanied by allergic conjunctivitis, malaise, weakness, and fatigue. Twenty percent of patients have asthma. Other clues to the diagnosis are atopic eczema, a family history of ectopy, and a temporal relation between exposure to potential allergens and symptoms. Clinically significant positive skin test results or detection of specific IgE serum antibodies confirm the diagnosis.