How to treat allergic rhinitis during pregnancy: drugs and folk remedies

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Allergic rhinitis is a consequence of irritation of the nasal mucosa by various allergens (fungal spores, plant pollen, dust, strong odors, cold air, etc.). In this case, a person has frequent sneezing and the release of colorless mucus from the nasal passages. Unpleasant allergy symptoms have recently become increasingly common among many expectant and young mothers. Often the clinical picture is complicated by itching of the face and nasal passages, sneezing, dry cough and lacrimation.

Allergic rhinitis during pregnancy and lactation can occur suddenly and for no apparent reason. Even in a woman who has never experienced allergies before, during the period of bearing and breastfeeding a child, the body is restructured, which leads to hypersensitivity to various irritants.

Features of the flowallergic rhinitis

Symptoms and treatment of allergic rhinitis during pregnancy are different from those of other patients. Runny nose, coughing and sneezing in women who are expecting a baby may be aggravated by exertion or lying down. Sometimes a violation of normal breathing interferes with the proper rest of both the expectant and nursing mother and leads to insomnia.

The most dangerous consequence of this condition is the occurrence of infection, which eventually leads to sinusitis. Due to the danger of using most traditional drugs used in medical practice for the treatment of allergic rhinitis, the treatment of pregnant and lactating women is particularly difficult and requires the mandatory intervention of a qualified doctor.

Differential Diagnosis

A remedy for allergic rhinitis during pregnancy should be chosen only after a diagnosis has been made. Allergic rhinitis can be confused with infection, SARS, exacerbation of chronic diseases, neoplasms in the nasal cavity, and so on. A detailed examination of the clinical picture will help to distinguish allergies from other types of rhinitis.

From the usual runny nose caused by general hypothermia or sore throat, allergic rhinitis is distinguished by the absence of a cough. Rhinitis of an infectious nature is characterized by an increase in temperature, which is not observed with an allergic reaction of the body to any irritant. The infection process usually resolves within a couple of days, butif a runny nose drags on for two weeks or more, then most likely it is allergic rhinitis. In addition, allergies are often accompanied by rashes on the face and body, which is not typical for other types of rhinitis.

Important: allergic rhinitis develops as a result of exposure to an allergen and resolves when it is eliminated. In this regard, the most typical allergy is to house dust and the excrement of dust mites contained in it. So, a woman's nose swells and a runny nose appears only during cleaning in the apartment, and on the street the swelling subsides and unpleasant symptoms disappear. And if at the end of summer a runny nose occurs exclusively on the street, then perhaps this is a reaction to the pollen of individual plants.

Tests and skin tests for allergens

At the appointment, the doctor will ask about the presence of allergic diseases in relatives and allergies to something in the future mother herself, collect an anamnesis and get acquainted with the data of the medical card. If allergic rhinitis is suspected, samples are taken for sensitivity to various allergens. This implies the delivery of a general blood test, a smear of mucus from the nose and intradermal tests. If you have an allergy, skin tests will be positive.

Doctors' opinions about the possibility of skin testing of pregnant women differ. Some experts prefer laboratory blood tests for immunoglobulin E, while others allow intradermal tests. It lies in the fact that with the help of a small syringe or a special device, scanty doses of the allergen are introduced. Thenthe reaction of the skin to them is evaluated. Redness and swelling will occur at the site where the allergen that causes rhinitis in a particular woman was injected. Samples allow you to correctly identify the allergen in the vast majority of cases.

The procedure is a provocation of the body's immune response, but the amount of each allergen is strictly controlled by doctors, so the skin test does not pose a risk to the he alth of the mother and child. But in case of a violation of the course of pregnancy and adverse consequences for the development of the fetus, the responsibility lies with the doctors who performed the procedures and prescribed medications, including the immunologist. Therefore, if the symptoms of a runny nose and anamnesis allow you to establish an allergen without samples, then doctors prefer not to perform this procedure in pregnant women.

Another safe diagnostic method is the radioallergosorbent test (RAST). Compared to skin tests, this diagnostic method is less informative and more expensive.

Typical treatments for allergic rhinitis

How to treat allergic rhinitis during pregnancy? Conventional methods of therapy are not suitable for expectant mothers. Most drugs have only a temporary effect and have side effects that are dangerous for a pregnant woman. Commonly used are vasoconstrictor drops and sprays that relieve swelling of the mucosa, and antihistamines, but they cannot be used during pregnancy due to the high likelihood of toxic effects on the fetus.

Vasoconstrictive drops, for example, reducethe supply of oxygen and blood to the fetus, narrow the capillaries of the placenta and increase blood pressure, and their long-term use dries the mucous membrane and contributes to frequent bleeding from the nose. During pregnancy, vasoconstrictor drops are allowed to be used only for complicated rhinitis, and even then the minimum dosage is prescribed.

Features of therapy during pregnancy

For allergic rhinitis during pregnancy, the allergen must first be identified and eliminated. It can be identified by the results of diagnostic procedures in the clinic, and simple organizational measures will help to eliminate it. Most drugs are contraindicated during pregnancy, but you can try the simplest methods of therapy: herbal inhalations, the use of sea s alt solutions, nasal massage, drops with essential oils, homeopathic remedies, safe nasal sprays.

Saline solution and formulations

How to treat allergic rhinitis during pregnancy? The most common s alt solution will reduce swelling of the nasal mucosa, the use of which is safe for expectant and nursing mothers. Rinsing the nose is considered a universal procedure that helps with a runny nose of any nature. The solution can be made independently by adding one teaspoon of sea or table s alt to half a liter of purified water.

Ready-made solution can be purchased at the pharmacy. An ordinary saline solution or special preparations are suitable: Salin, Marimer, Aquamaris, Dolphin, Humer, Aqualor. Safe alternativevasoconstrictor drug is a hypertonic solution "Physiomer". The product has a natural composition - 100% undiluted sea water.

You will need a syringe or a small syringe to wash your nose. You need to bend over the washbasin, pour the washing liquid into one nostril so that it flows out of the other. The same actions should then be repeated with the other nostril. After you need to blow your nose well. Washing can be done up to five times a day. Some pregnant women prefer the procedure to the usual instillation of saline solution into the nose. 5 drops are enough for this.

Cellulose Powder Spray

How to relieve allergic rhinitis during pregnancy? One of the most effective drugs is Nazaval, a nasal spray based on vegetable cellulose powder. The drug covers the mucous membrane with a layer, preventing the effects of allergens. For the same reasons, the sense of smell is weakened during the application of the spray.

The only contraindication is the intolerance of the components. The drug is applied as needed. As a rule, the dosage recommended by the manufacturer (one injection in each nostril every 6-8 hours) is enough to effectively eliminate the symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Injections are recommended to be repeated after each blowing.

"Erius" during pregnancy

For the treatment of allergic diseases in both adults (including expectant mothers, but not in all cases) and children, the latestantihistamine drug "Erius". The cost of not treating allergies is quite serious. Firstly, the efficiency of the body's immune system decreases, and secondly, allergic reactions develop into eczema, bronchial asthma, chronic rhinitis, bronchitis or otitis media, and so on.

"Erius" (the price of the drug in pharmacies is about 580 rubles per package, in which ten tablets) has a short list of side effects, which reduces the number of situations in which it is contraindicated. The therapeutic effect is manifested within thirty minutes after ingestion and persists for a day. Among the features of the drug, it can be noted that it does not provoke the development of such side effects as a disorder of coordination of movements, a state of drowsiness, impaired attention and concentration.

It is important that the medicine can be used only after the doctor's recommendation. Antihistamines during pregnancy are prohibited due to the increased likelihood of adverse effects on the fetus, but with a complex course of allergic rhinitis or the presence of complications, doctors decide to treat the expectant mother with drugs that can cause adverse effects on the child.

The use of "Feksadin" from allergies

What can I do with allergic rhinitis during pregnancy? Doctors prescribe strong antihistamines if the expected effect of therapy outweighs the possible risk to the unborn child. Feksadin belongs to the third generation of H2-histamine blockers. "Feksadin" during pregnancy best of all helps fromallergies caused by plant pollen. The drug can be found in almost every pharmacy. The cost of a package (10 tablets) is 270 rubles.

Folk remedies for the treatment of rhinitis

Folk remedies for allergic rhinitis during pregnancy are varied. Expectant mothers are well helped by drops from beet juice, Kalanchoe, carrots, apples. Juices should be used freshly squeezed, can be mixed with each other. It is recommended to bury six drops in each nostril three or four times a day. How else to treat allergic rhinitis during pregnancy? Inhalations with essential oils, onions and garlic, brewed with hot water, help to cope with unpleasant manifestations of allergies.

For ingestion, a vitaminized drink is recommended, for example, cranberry juice, rosehip infusion, tea with lemon, currant compote. In some cases, unripe green apples or raw sea buckthorn grated with sugar help to ease the manifestations of allergic reactions.

Inhalation treatment

Another way to relieve allergic rhinitis during pregnancy? To relieve symptoms, you can try inhalation therapy. For the procedure, slightly alkaline mineral water, garlic or onion juice diluted with water, boiled potatoes are used. When using mineral water, you must first open the bottle so that a little gas comes out of it. Then two or three tablespoons of mineral water are diluted in one liter of boiling water. You need to breathe steam over the solution for about five to ten minutes.

Changelifestyle and rules of conduct

Spray from allergic rhinitis during pregnancy will not help if a lady in position is constantly in contact with the allergen. Therefore, it is necessary to clean every day, get rid of sources and accumulators of allergens (books, flowers and soft toys), hang blinds on the windows. During the flowering period of grasses and trees, it is better to avoid visiting parks and gardens, to collect hair in a knot and wear large sunglasses. After a walk, you should immediately change into home clothes, wash your shoes, wash your face and drip your nose with saline. During this period, it is better to wash your head every day.

Severe runny nose, complications

How to treat allergic rhinitis during pregnancy if the disease is severe? If there are complications in the form of asthma or bronchitis? In this case, the use of corticosteroid drugs or antihistamines is justified. For pregnant women, drugs are prescribed in a reduced dosage, and the duration of treatment is no more than four days. This is enough time to identify and eliminate the allergen.

It is important that only a specialist should prescribe all medicines for a future mother. Self-administration of any medications is prohibited (especially during pregnancy). In the first trimester, doctors do not prescribe any drugs at all in order to avoid disrupting the laying of organs and systems in the fetus.

Prevention of allergic rhinitis

Prevention of allergic rhinitis seems possible only ifif the expectant mother is already aware of her sensitivity to certain allergens. When planning conception and during the period of bearing a child, you should try to avoid contact with such substances, if necessary, protect yourself with a medical mask, take appropriate measures for wet cleaning of the room, harden and take vitamins.

No expectant mother is immune from rhinitis. The more physically fit a woman begins to bear a child, the less likely there will be an allergic rhinitis and other unpleasant diseases. Therefore, it is so important to pay special attention to pregnancy planning.