Blocked and runny nose: What to do about Nasal Allergy

Enlarged turbinate of the nose causing nasal congestion due to allergy (allergic rhinitis)

Watery secretions in nose due to allergy (allergic rhinitis)

Strand of sticky watery mucus between the enlarged turbinate and the nasal septum due to allergy (allergic rhinitis)

As an experienced ENT doctor in Singapore, we see so many patients who suffer from persistently blocked and runny noses in Singapore! They often think that this is due to a “sinus” issue but it turns out that they don’t actually have sinus infections (sinusitis) at all. The reality is that they suffer from allergic rhinitis or nasal allergy problems which lead to swelling of the turbinate soft tissue inside the nose. This makes it difficult for them to breathe through their nose which also often runs with a watery nasal discharge. Such patients find it helpful to have a skin prick allergy test done in Singapore. House dust mite allergy in Singapore is the most common reason for nasal allergy (allergic rhinitis) to develop. These disgusting insects cannot be seen with the naked eye but under the microscope, can be seen running all over your cushions, bedsheets, quilts, pillows, curtains and furry soft toys. In Singapore, there are 3 species of house dust mite which commonly cause nasal allergies to flare up.

We usually treat nasal allergy problems with a triad of nasal saline wash/douche, steroid nasal spray and antihistamine medications. But there is another group of newer medications on the market: Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in Singapore aims to desensitise your body’s allergic response to these allergy triggers so that your immune system doesn’t react in such an aggressive manner when exposed to them. For House dust mite allergy in Singapore, we have Acarizax tablets and Oral Tek sprays which are used daily for a period of at least 3 years to achieve a pretty good success rate at improving the nasal allergy symptoms.

Read more about nasal allergy problems at

https://www.drannabelle.com/allergy-ent-clinic.html

Here are some of ENT specialist Dr Annabelle’s tips to cut the house dust mite population at home:

1. The best way to kill house dust mites is to wash your bedlinen in hot water at 60 degrees celsius and to put them in direct sunlight as much as possible.
2. Get rid of the furry plush soft toys, especially in the bedroom.
3. Open curtains every morning to allow full direct sunlight into the rooms.
4. Flip your mattresses regularly. In more extreme cases, it may even be worth wrapping the mattress in cling film to reduce exposure.
5. Get your curtains washed/dry cleaned regularly, every month if necessary.
6. Fans are often covered in a layer of dust so make sure they are wiped and cleaned at least once every month or even every 2 weeks.

Share this blog via: