Allergic rhinitis is a consequence of irritation of the nasal mucosa by various allergens (fungal spores, plant pollen, dust, pungent odors, cold air, etc.). At the same time, a person sneezes frequently and secretes colorless mucus from the nasal passages. Unpleasant allergy symptoms have recently become increasingly common in 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 encountered allergy symptoms before, during the period of gestation and breastfeeding, the body undergoes a restructuring of the body, which leads to hypersensitivity to various irritants.
Features of the course of allergic rhinitis
Symptoms and treatment of allergic rhinitis during pregnancy are different from those characteristic of other patients. Runny nose, coughing and sneezing in women expecting a baby may be worse with exertion or lying down. Sometimes a violation of normal breathing prevents the full relaxation of both the future and the nursing mother and leads to insomnia.
The most dangerous consequence of this condition is the occurrence of infection, which subsequently leads to sinusitis. Due to the danger of using most traditional medicines 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
The remedy for allergic rhinitis during pregnancy should be chosen only after a diagnosis is established. Allergic rhinitis can be confused with infection, acute respiratory viral infections, exacerbation of chronic diseases, neoplasms in the nasal cavity and so on. A detailed examination of the clinical picture will help distinguish allergies from other types of the common cold.
Allergic rhinitis is distinguished from the usual cold caused by general hypothermia of the body or tonsillitis due to the absence of 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 stimulus. The infectious process usually goes away in a couple of days, but if the 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 due to exposure to the allergen and disappears when it is eliminated. In this regard, allergies to house dust and the excrement of dust mites contained in it are most characteristic. 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.
Allergen tests and skin tests
At the reception, the doctor will ask about the presence of allergic diseases in relatives and allergies to something from the future mother herself, will collect an anamnesis and get acquainted with the data of the medical record. If you suspect allergic rhinitis, 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 samples. If you have allergies, skin tests will be positive.
Doctors differ on the possibility of skin testing of pregnant women. Some experts prefer laboratory blood tests for immunoglobulin E, others allow for intradermal tests. It lies in the fact that with the help of a small syringe or a special device, tiny doses of the allergen are introduced. Then the skin reaction to them is evaluated. Redness and swelling will occur at the place where the allergen was introduced, which causes rhinitis in a particular woman. Samples can correctly identify the allergen in the vast majority of cases.
The procedure is a provocation of the body to the immune response, but the amount of each allergen is strictly controlled by doctors, so the skin test does not pose a risk to the health 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 an immunologist. Therefore, if the symptoms of a runny nose and anamnesis allow you to establish an allergen without samples, then doctors prefer not to carry out this procedure in pregnant women.
Another safe diagnostic method is the radio allergosorbent test (RAST). Compared to skin samples, this diagnostic method is less informative and more expensive.
Common treatments for allergic rhinitis
How to treat allergic rhinitis during pregnancy? The usual 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. Vasoconstrictive drops and sprays are usually used, which relieve swelling of the mucosa, and antihistamines, but they cannot be used during pregnancy because of the high probability of toxic effects on the fetus.
Vasoconstrictor drops, for example, reduce the flow of oxygen and blood to the fetus, narrow the capillaries of the placenta and increase blood pressure, and their prolonged use dries the mucous membrane and promotes frequent nosebleeds. During pregnancy, vasoconstrictor drops are allowed to be used only with a complicated course of rhinitis, and even then the minimum dosage is prescribed.
Features of therapy during pregnancy
In case of allergic rhinitis during pregnancy, it is first necessary to identify and eliminate the allergen. You can identify it 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: inhalations with medicinal herbs, the use of sea salt solutions, nose massage, drops with essential oils, homeopathic remedies, safe nasal sprays.
Saline and finished products
How to treat allergic rhinitis during pregnancy? Reduces swelling of the nasal mucosa is the most common salt solution, 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 salt to half a liter of purified water.
Ready solution can be purchased at the pharmacy. Normal saline or special preparations are suitable: Salin, Marimer, Aquamaris, Dolphin, Humer, Aqualor. A safe alternative to a vasoconstrictor drug is Physiomer hypertonic solution. The product has a natural composition - 100% undiluted sea water.
To wash your nose you will need a syringe or a small syringe. It is necessary to bend over the washbasin, pour the liquid for washing into one nostril so that it flows from the other. The same actions should then be repeated with the other nostril. After you need to blow your nose well. Rinsing can be carried out up to five times a day. Some pregnant women prefer the procedure to the usual instillation of saline in the nose. For this, 5 drops are enough.
Cellulose Powder Spray
How to relieve allergic rhinitis during pregnancy? One of the most effective drugs is considered to be "Nazaval" - a spray for the nose based on cellulose powder of plant origin. The drug covers the mucous membrane with a layer, preventing the effects of allergens. For the same reasons, the smell is weakened during the application of the spray.
The only contraindication is intolerance to the components. The drug is used 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. Injection is recommended to be repeated after each blowing.
"Erius" during pregnancy
For the treatment of allergic diseases, both in adults (including expectant mothers, but not in all cases), and in children, the latest antihistamine Erius is prescribed. The cost of not treating allergies is pretty serious. Firstly, the working capacity 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 there are ten tablets) is characterized by a short list of side effects, which reduces the number of situations in which it is contraindicated. The therapeutic effect is manifested already thirty minutes after administration and persists for a day. Among the characteristics 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 recommendation of a doctor. Antihistamines are prohibited during pregnancy because of the increased likelihood of adverse effects on the fetus, but with a complex course of allergic rhinitis or complications, doctors decide to treat the expectant mother with drugs that can cause adverse effects for the baby.
The use of "Fexadine" from allergies
What can be done with allergic rhinitis during pregnancy? Doctors prescribe strong antihistamines if the expected effect of therapy outweighs the possible risk to the unborn child. Fexadine belongs to the third generation of H2-histamine blockers. "Fexadine" during pregnancy best helps with allergies caused by plant pollen. The drug can be found in almost every pharmacy. The cost of packaging (10 tablets) is 270 rubles.
Folk remedies for the treatment of rhinitis
Folk remedies for allergic rhinitis during pregnancy are diverse. Drops from beetroot juice, Kalanchoe, carrots, apples are good for expectant mothers. Juices need to be used freshly squeezed, you can mix with each other. It is recommended to dig in each nostril six drops three or four times a day. What else to treat allergic rhinitis during pregnancy? Inhalation with essential oils, onions and garlic brewed with hot water helps to cope with unpleasant manifestations of allergies.
For oral administration, a fortified drink is recommended, for example, cranberry juice, rosehip infusion, tea with lemon, currant compote. In some cases, immature green apples or raw sea-buckthorn rubbed with sugar help ease the effects of allergic reactions.
Inhalation treatment
How to relieve allergic rhinitis during pregnancy? To relieve symptoms, you can try therapy with inhalation. For the procedure, slightly alkaline mineral water, garlic or onion juice diluted with water, and boiled potatoes are used. In the case of using mineral water, you must first open the bottle so that a little gas escapes from it. Then two or three tablespoons of mineral water are bred in one liter of boiling water. You need to breathe steam over the solution for about five to ten minutes.
Lifestyle changes and rules of conduct
Spray from allergic rhinitis during pregnancy will not help if the lady in position will constantly be in contact with the allergen. Therefore, it is necessary to clean every day, get rid of sources and stores of allergens (books, flowers and soft toys), hang blinds on the windows. For the flowering period of herbs and trees, it is better to avoid visiting parks and gardens, collect hair in a knot and wear large sunglasses. After the walk you need to immediately change into home clothes, wash your shoes, wash and drip your nose with saline. It is better to wash your head every day during this period.
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 time is enough to identify and eliminate the allergen.
It is important that only a specialist should prescribe all medicines to a future mother. Self-administration of any medication is prohibited (especially during pregnancy). In the first trimester, doctors do not prescribe any drugs at all in order to avoid disturbance of the laying of organs and systems in the fetus.
Prevention of Allergic Rhinitis
Prevention of allergic rhinitis is possible only if the expectant mother is already aware of her sensitivity to certain allergens. When planning a conception and during the period of bearing a child, it is necessary to try to avoid contact with such substances, if necessary, protect yourself with a medical mask, take appropriate measures for wet cleaning of the room, temper and take vitamins.
Not a single expectant mother is safe from rhinitis. The more physically fit a woman begins bearing a child, the less likely it will be to have an allergic rhinitis and other unpleasant diseases. Therefore, it is so important to pay special attention to pregnancy planning.