• Rhinitis is when a reaction occurs that causes nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, and itching. Most types of rhinitis are caused by an inflammation and are associated with symptoms in the eyes, ears, or throat.
• There are several types of rhinitis. The most common are acute rhinitis, which is usually caused by a viral illness, allergic or seasonal rhinitis, and nonallergic or year-round rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis is caused when allergens in the air.
• Allergic Rhinitis Allergic rhinitis is a diagnosis associated with a group of symptoms affecting the nose. These symptoms occur when you breathe in something you are allergic to, such as dust, animal dander, or pollen ( hayfever or seasonal allergy **3. Sometimes, allergic rhinitis occurs when you eat a food that you are allergic to.

Nonallergic Rhinitis involves chronic sneezing or a congested, drippy nose with no apparent causes, such as weather changes, some medication certain food or chronic health conditions or it could be from a cold or flu.

How do we breath? Your nose is the main opening for your respiratory system, enabling you to inhale air into the body through 2 nostrils. The nostrils contain a number of short, stiff hairs which respond to physical stimuli and may cause itching, tickling and sneezing. A healthy nose will filter and condition the air so that when it enters the lungs, it is warm and humidified. The delicate lung tissue is therefore protected from cold dry air and cannot be damaged by small particles like dust and pollen. We are able to smell the air as it flows through the nose, which contributes to our sense of flavour when we taste.

What happens when the nose responds to chemical or physical irritation? The nasal passages can become inflamed and the nose can become runny. The result is a 'stuffy' nose, which can lead to difficulties in breathing.