Nonallergic rhinitis, or irritation of the mucous membranes in your nasal passages, can occur with no apparent cause. Symptoms often include sneezing, congestion and runny nose. The symptoms often mimic hay fever. There are several types of treatments currently available. Isotonic exercises have been studied and shown to have a profound impact on the rate of air flow through your nasal passages.
Significance
If you suffer from nonallergic rhinitis, or NAR, it is usually not dangerous but certainly is annoying. In addition to the usual nasal symptoms, the condition can also affect the quality of your sleep. This can lead to daytime exhaustion, reduced concentration and irritability. The condition can affect both kids and adults but is most often seen in individuals older than 20. A study reported in the journal Allergy revealed that one in four adolescents and adults suffer from nonallergic rhinitis. Women have twice the incidence as men, and the symptoms of NAR are as persistent and unpleasant as those that occur due to allergic rhinitis.
Causes
When your nervous system encounters an irritant, the blood vessels in your nose expand, which results in swelling and release of fluids. This causes congestion and the accompanying symptoms of sneezing and runny nose. NAR may be caused by irritants in the air where you work or live. Sometimes, weather changes can cause the membranes inside your nose to swell, resulting in symptoms. NAR can be caused by an infection such as a cold or flu; it can also be caused by certain spicy foods and hot beverages, hormonal changes and stress. Certain medications can cause your symptoms. If you take anti-hypertensive beta blockers or NSAIDs such as aspirin or ibuprofen (e.g. Advil, Motrin), you may have symptoms of congestion. Other medications include sedatives, oral contraceptives, antidepressants or medications to treat erectile dysfunction. Overuse of over-the-counter decongestant sprays can result in a phenomena known as "rebound congestion" as well.
Treatments
Treatment will be matched with the cause of your NAR and your symptoms. Medications used can include saline, antihistamine or corticosteroid nasal sprays; oral decongestants; and decongestant nasal sprays. You may also try rinsing your nasal passages with a sterile water and salt solution, gently blowing your nose, and increasing the humidity in your home and office. In addition, clinical studies have shown isotonic exercise can significantly reduce nasal congestion on a temporary basis.
Considerations
Isotonic exercise requires a tightening and shortening of a muscle. Weight lifting is an example of isotonic exercise. Researchers studying isotonic exercise and congestion reduction reported a decrease in air resistance in the nasal passage of normal individuals in their trials, as reported in the journal Clinical Otolaryngology & Allied Sciences in August 1995. This is attributed to decreased blood flow to the nasal passages following exercise, which results in less swelling and congestion.
Nonallergic rhinitis symptoms are influenced by your parasympathetic nervous system. This system is comprised of nerves you cannot control such as the filling and emptying of your blood vessels. The exercise effect reduces blood flow to your nose, which reduces congestion. But once you stop exercising, your parasympathetic nervous system kicks in. It can signal your nasal blood vessels to fill once again in response to the cause of your NAR. This results in swelling and your congestion returns.
Expert Insight
If you wear a nose splint while exercising, the findings in the 1999 British Journal of Sports Medicine, titled "Effect on Nasal Resistance of an External Nasal Splint and Isotonic Exercise" may be of interest. The researchers determined that isotonic exercise caused a significant reduction in nasal congestion in normal individuals. The splint reduces nasal congestion when the individuals studied were at rest, but once they began isotonic exercise, the splint made little difference. The researchers concluded that the act of isotonic exercise itself is a potent, but temporary, decongestant.
References
- "British Journal of Sports Medicine": Effect on Nasal Resistance of an External Nasal Spling and Isotonic Exercise" A D Wilde, S R Ell
- MayoClinic.com: Nonallergic Rhinitis
- Otolaryngology: Poster 23: The Differential Effect of Isotonic and Isometric Exercise on Nasal Blood Flow as Measured by Laser Doppler Analysis
- Master Track: Finegan Blames Nasal Decongestant for Kamloops Drug Positive
- PubMed.gov: Differneces Between Allergic and Nonallergic Rhinitis in a Large Sample of Adolescents and Adults
- "Clinical Otolaryngology": The Nasal Response to Isometric Exercise
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