Can loss of smell caused by rhinitis be restored? The four main causes of rhinitis

Rhinitis is a chronic nasal disease. Although it does not seem to be a very serious disease, it can be said that only rhinitis patients can understand the pain of rhinitis. The symptoms of rhinitis usually include nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, headache, etc. These symptoms are similar to those of a cold and are easily misdiagnosed. Treating them as a cold may lead to worsening of the rhinitis and even severe cases may lead to loss of smell.

1. Can the loss of smell caused by rhinitis be restored?

Generally speaking, sinusitis can be cured and recovered. The reasons for decreased sense of smell are: one is obstruction of the olfactory area; the other is damage to the olfactory nerve, and the first case is the most common. It is best to do a sinus CT scan. If the olfactory area is blocked by nasal polyps, surgical treatment can be chosen.

2. Causes of Rhinitis

1. Viral infection

Viral infection is the primary cause, or bacterial infection is secondary to viral infection. More than 100 viruses are known to cause this disease, the most common of which is rhinovirus, followed by influenza and parainfluenza viruses, adenovirus, coronavirus, coxsackievirus, and myxovirus and paramyxovirus. The virus is mainly transmitted through inhalation through the respiratory tract, and secondly through entering the body through contaminated objects or food.

2. Genetic factors

People with a family history of allergies are more likely to develop this disease. Most family members of the patients have a history of asthma, urticaria or drug allergy. In the past, such patients were called atopic individuals, whose ability to produce IgE antibodies was higher than that of normal people. However, in recent years, some people have found that there is no significant difference in the incidence rate between twins and the general population.

3. Susceptibility of nasal mucosa

Susceptibility arises from frequent stimulation by antigenic substances, but the degree of susceptibility depends on the number of mast cells and alkaliphils in the nasal mucosal tissue and the ability to release chemical mediators. It has been confirmed that the number of the above-mentioned cells in the nasal mucosa of patients with allergic rhinitis is not only higher than that of normal people, but also has a stronger ability to release chemical mediators.

4. Antigenic substances

Antigen substances that stimulate the body to produce IgE antibodies are called allergens. When the allergen enters the nasal mucosa again, it combines with the corresponding IgE and causes an allergic reaction. The allergens that cause this disease are divided into two categories according to the way they enter the human body: inhalation and food.

Symptoms

(1) Nasal congestion: Nasal congestion is characterized by intermittent nature. Nasal congestion is relieved during the day, in hot weather, while working or exercising, but is aggravated at night, when sitting still or in cold weather. Another characteristic of nasal congestion is its alternation. When lying on your side, the lower nasal cavity is blocked, but the upper nasal cavity is well ventilated. Due to nasal congestion, there may be occasional symptoms such as decreased sense of smell, headache, dizziness, and nasal speech.

(2) Excessive discharge: often mucous or mucopurulent, occasionally purulent. Purulence often occurs after secondary infection.

(3) Decreased sense of smell? This is mostly due to two reasons. One is that the nasal mucosa is swollen and blocked, so air cannot enter the olfactory area. The other is that the olfactory mucosa is stimulated by chronic inflammation for a long time, so the sense of smell is reduced or disappears.

(4) Headache and dizziness: Chronic sinusitis is often manifested by a feeling of heaviness in the head.

(5) Systemic manifestations: Most people also experience headaches, loss of appetite, fatigue, memory loss, and insomnia.