What Are Nasal Allergies?
What happens when nasal allergies attack?
Nasal allergies are caused by the body’s response to outside substances called
allergens. When the immune system mistakes these foreign substances as a
harmful threat, it responds with sophisticated defenses to fight off the
invaders. The symptoms you feel when this happens—whether it’s itchy eyes or a
stuffy nose—are part of the “inflammatory allergic response.”
The inflammatory response works in three phases.
Phase 1: Sensitization
After exposure to an allergen—for example, pollen—the body releases IgE. IgE is
an antibody that can identify the allergen but needs help to actually “attack”
the allergen.
Phase 2: Early-phase reaction
The IgE antibody then instructs cells called mast cells, present in the nose,
eyes, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract, to attack the allergen. The mast cells
respond by releasing chemicals such as histamine, tryptase, and heperin to
fight the invader. Histamine is what makes your nose run and your eyes water.
It makes you sneeze and wheeze. It may also cause other breathing problems.
It’s your body’s way of trying to get rid of the invader.
Phase 3: Late-phase reaction
Hours later, more cells will be called upon to fight the allergen. This means
symptoms will worsen until your body is satisfied that the allergen has been
eliminated from your system.
RHINOCORT AQUA helps to manage your nasal allergies by reducing the inflammation
that causes these symptoms.
Types of Nasal Allergies