Allergic rhinitis - self-care

Things that make allergies worse are called triggers. It may be impossible to completely avoid all triggers. But, you can do many things to limit your or your child's exposure to them:

Some changes you may need to make include:

The amount of pollen in the air can affect whether hay fever symptoms develop. More pollen is in the air on hot, dry, windy days. On cool, damp, rainy days, most pollen is washed to the ground.

Nasal corticosteroid sprays are the most effective treatment. Many brands are available. You can buy some brands without a prescription. For other brands, you need a prescription.

Antihistamines are medicines that work well for treating allergy symptoms. They are often used when symptoms do not occur very often or do not last very long.

Antihistamine nasal sprays work well for treating allergic rhinitis. They are only available with a prescription.

Decongestants are medicines that help dry up a runny or stuffy nose. They come as pills, liquids, capsules, or nasal sprays. You can buy them over-the-counter (OTC), without a prescription.

For mild allergic rhinitis, a nasal wash can help remove mucus from your nose. You can buy a saline spray at a drugstore or make one at home. To make a nasal wash, use 1 cup (240 milliliters) of purchased distilled water, 1/2 a teaspoon (2.5 grams) of salt, and a pinch of baking soda.

Make an appointment with your provider if:

Corren J, Baroody FM, Togias A. Allergic and nonallergic rhinitis. In: Burks AW, Holgate ST, O'Hehir RE, et al, eds. Middleton's Allergy: Principles and Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 40.

Dykewicz MS, Wallace DV, Baroody F, et al. Treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis: An evidence-based focused 2017 guideline update. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2017;119(6):489-511.e41. PMID: 29103802 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29103802/.

Dykewicz MS, Wallace DV, Amrol DJ, et al. Rhinitis 2020: A practice parameter update. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2020;146(4):721-767. PMID: 32707227 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32707227/.

Head K, Snidvongs K, Glew S, et al. Saline irrigation for allergic rhinitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;6(6):CD012597. PMID: 29932206 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29932206/.

Seidman MD, Gurgel RK, Lin SY, et al. Clinical practice guideline: allergic rhinitis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2015;152(1 Suppl):S1-S43. PMID: 25644617 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25644617/.



Review Date: 4/18/2024
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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