Quick Facts
What is rhinitis?
"Rhin-" refers to your nose, and "itis" means inflammation. So rhinitis is inflammation and swelling inside your nose.
-
Rhinitis is usually caused by a cold or seasonal allergies
-
You'll have a runny nose, sneezing, and stuffiness
-
Rhinitis usually goes away on its own, but doctors may have you take antihistamines
-
If allergies cause you to get rhinitis often, you may need allergy shots
What causes rhinitis?
Rhinitis can be caused by:
-
An allergic reaction to something, such as dust, mold, pollen, grass, trees, and animals (allergic rhinitis)
-
An infection, such as the common cold
-
Breathing very dry or dirty air
Older people sometimes have thinning and hardening of the lining of their nose tissue, which causes rhinitis.
