Hi,

Thanks for the query.

The nasal congestion and running nose of a long duration could be due to either Vasomotor rhinitis (non-allergic rhinitis) or Allergic Rhinitis.

Vasomotor rhinitis also known as non-allergic rhinitis, is one of the nasal condition wherein the exact cause of it is not known. It is thought that the rhinitis could be due to the hormonal imbalance in the body, stress, weather changes, etc. It is characterized by a constant runny nose, sneezing and nasal congestion, it is usually seen in females and those individuals above the age of 20 years.

Allergic Rhinitis also known as Hay fever, is a condition characterized by running nose, sneezing, and nasal congestion when exposed to allergens such as dust, smoke, perfumes, pollens, etc. It can affect any person irrespective of age and sex.

The treatment of the above two causes are almost similar. Steroid nasal spray (fluticasone, momentasone, etc.), antihistaminic (such as Fexofenadine, Loratidine, etc.) with or without mastcell stabilizers (such as Ketotifen) are the main stay of the treatment.

In your case, it seems to be due to Allergic Rhinitis; hence you need to start on the above mentioned treatment after consulting an apt ENT specialist.

Hope I have answered your query; I will be available for the follow-up queries.

Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon

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