What Is Nonallergic Rhinitis?

If you have a runny nose, congestion, or sneezing, you might think you have allergies or a cold. But if you’ve ruled those out and the symptoms continue, you might suffer from nonallergic rhinitis, a stuffy nose, congestion, or sneezing that isn’t related to allergens (vasomotor rhinitis). The symptoms can be caused by environmental triggers, foods you eat, hormonal changes, or other health conditions. 

Types of Nonallergic Rhinitis

Nonallergic rhinitis is a stuffy nose, sneezing, and congestion that’s mediated by histamine and not caused by allergens like pollen or pet hair. There are at least eight different types of nonallergic rhinitis, including the following:

Vasomotor Rhinitis

Vasomotor rhinitis is the most common form of nonallergic rhinitis. It’s caused by environmental triggers like dry air and bright sunlight, and strong scents like fumes and perfumes.

Gustatory Rhinitis

Gustatory rhinitis is caused by the foods you eat. It’s often triggered by hot foods, like soup, or spicy foods. With gustatory rhinitis, the response isn’t related to being allergic to the foods. 

Hormone-Induced Rhinitis

Female hormones can cause congestion and other nasal symptoms, known as hormone-induced rhinitis. This is common during pregnancy, especially in the second trimester. 

Nonallergic Rhinitis with Eosinophilia

This type of nonallergic rhinitis causes nasal symptoms and an increased white blood cell (WBC) count, known as eosinophilia. Healthcare providers aren’t sure what causes this type of rhinitis, but it’s linked to inflammation and mast cells, and it may result from problems with the immune system and an autoimmune disorder. 

Atrophic Rhinitis

Atrophic rhinitis happens when the mucus glands in the nose atrophy, or waste away. This causes dryness and crusts in the nose that can lead to congestion. 

Senile Rhinitis

Senile rhinitis happens in older individuals. When the mucus glands in the nose aren’t working well, they leave the nasal passages too dry. 

Rhinitis Medicamentosa

This form of rhinitis is caused by medications. Medicines that can cause rhinitis include: 

• ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors
• Beta-blockers
• Alpha adrenergic receptor antagonists 
• Phosphodiesterase-5 selective inhibitors used to treat erectile dysfunction

Nonallergic Rhinitis Symptoms

The symptoms of nonallergic rhinitis are:

• Runny nose
• Congestion
• Sneezing
• Watery discharge from the nose

These symptoms can be long-lasting, which is why nonallergic rhinitis is also called chronic rhinitis. 

What Triggers Nonallergic Rhinitis?

There are lots of different triggers for nonallergic rhinitis. The triggers for nonallergic rhinitis depend on what subtype you have. The runny nose and congestion can be triggered by:

• Environmental changes like dry air or bright light
• Strong scents
• Spicy or warm foods
• Changes to the mucus glands in the nose, including age-related changes
• Alcohol
• Pollution

Healthcare providers don’t always know what causes allergic rhinitis. But if you have the condition, keep track of your symptoms and try to find a pattern related to your triggers. 

Nonallergic Rhinitis Causes and Risk Factors

Healthcare providers aren’t sure exactly what causes nonallergic rhinitis. Although anyone can develop nonallergic rhinitis, factors contributing to its occurrence include:

• Being exposed to strong scents or pollutants
• Being female or being pregnant
• Getting older
• Having other health conditions

Nonallergic Rhinitis Diagnosis

Before your healthcare provider can diagnose you with nonallergic rhinitis, they have to rule out other causes of rhinitis. To do that, they’ll ask you how long your symptoms have been present, and when they flare up. 

The healthcare provider will likely examine your nose too, since there are visual differences between the nose of someone with allergic rhinitis and that of someone with only nonallergic rhinitis.

Then, you’ll likely need testing including:

• An allergy skin prick test
• Serological specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) test, which measures antibodies in your blood

How Is Nonallergic Rhinitis Treated?

The best way to control nonallergic rhinitis is to avoid triggers. Treatments will also vary based on the type of nonallergic rhinitis that you have. 

However, there are some treatments that can help, including:

• Steroid nasal sprays
• Antihistamines, taken as oral medications and/or nasal spray
• Oral steroids in severe cases
• Saline nasal spray to keep the nose moist
• Decongestants for short-term relief when symptoms are severe

Nonallergic Rhinitis Complications

Nonallergic rhinitis can take a toll on day-to-day living and make you uncomfortable. Luckily, it’s not usually associated with complications. Talk with your healthcare provider about whether there are any particular complications that you should be looking out for. 

Nonallergic Rhinitis Prevention

There’s little you can do to prevent nonallergic rhinitis. However, once you identify your triggers—like spicy food or dry air—you can try to avoid them in order to reduce your symptoms. 

Nonallergic Rhinitis and Pregnancy

Lots of people experience nonallergic rhinitis during pregnancy. If this happens to you, talk with your healthcare provider about how to relieve symptoms.

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

If you experience nonallergic rhinitis, working with your healthcare provider can help you find solutions. If you experience symptoms of rhinitis that don’t respond to remedies like avoiding triggers and using nasal sprays, reach out to a healthcare provider. 

Summary

Nonallergic rhinitis is a runny nose or congestion that’s not caused by allergens. It can be triggered by environmental factors, hormonal changes, aging, medications and more. If you experience nonallergic rhinitis, try to track your symptoms to detect your triggers. Avoiding these triggers and working with a healthcare provider can help you find treatments that relieve your nasal symptoms.