Non Allergic Rhinitis

Symptoms of non-allergic rhinitis

The most common symptoms of non-allergic rhinitis are:

a blocked or runny nose
sneezing
a sore throat
a feeling that mucus is slowly dripping down the back of your throat (post-nasal drip)

Causes of non-allergic rhinitis

Common causes of non-allergic rhinitis include:

changes in the weather, such as temperature or humidity
exercising
smoke, perfume and paint fumes
alcohol and spicy food
hormone changes in pregnancy or puberty, or from taking medicines such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), the combined contraceptive pill or the progesterone-only contraceptive pill
conditions such as an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
medicines such as ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, aspirin, and anti-inflammatory painkillers like ibuprofen
using decongestant nasal sprays for longer than it says on the packet

Non-allergic rhinitis is different from allergic rhinitis, which is caused by allergies such as hay fever.

Things you can do if you have non-allergic rhinitis

Non-allergic rhinitis is not harmful, but it can affect your life.

You can often treat it without seeing a GP.

Try to avoid the things that trigger your symptoms, if you can.

A pharmacist can advise you about medicines that can help, such as:

antihistamines
nasal sprays to unblock your nose
salt water nasal sprays or solutions to rinse out the inside of your nose

You can buy nasal sprays without a prescription, but they should not be used for more than a week. Using them for longer than this can make the problem worse.

Find a pharmacy

How to clean your nose with a homemade salt water solution

See a GP if:

you have non-allergic rhinitis and the symptoms get worse
you get asthma symptoms or your asthma gets worse
your symptoms are affecting your sleep and everyday life
it's not clear what's causing your symptoms
treatments from a pharmacist are not working

Treatments for non-allergic rhinitis from a GP

If needed, a GP may prescribe stronger medicine, such as prescription nasal sprays.

They may also change any medicine you're taking if they think it may be causing your symptoms.

You may be referred to a specialist for further tests and treatment if your symptoms are severe or it's not clear what's causing them.

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