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Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Yes, usually. A doctor can diagnose allergic rhinitis from your symptoms and prescribe nasal sprays and antihistamines; one-sided symptoms, bleeding or pain need an examination.
- What it is: inflammation inside the nose caused by an allergy, to pollen in season, or to dust mites, pets or mould all year round.
- How common: it affects about 1 in 4 adults in the UK, and 10 to 15% of children.
- Best treatment: a steroid nasal spray, used every day and the right way, is the most effective single treatment.
- Emergency: call 112 for swelling of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue, or difficulty breathing.
Do not book a video appointment if your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly swell, you are struggling to breathe, or your asthma is severe and your reliever inhaler is not helping. Call 112 or go to an emergency department.
Can an online doctor treat allergic rhinitis?
Yes, usually. Allergic rhinitis is diagnosed from your symptoms, when they happen and what sets them off, which a doctor can go through by video. The doctor recommends or prescribes a steroid nasal spray, a combination spray or a non-drowsy antihistamine, explains how to use it so it works, and plans the next step if it does not. Allergy tests and immunotherapy are arranged through a specialist, and one-sided symptoms, bleeding or pain need an examination in person.
How an online consultation helps with allergic rhinitis
- The trigger narrowed down: Pollen, dust mites, pets, mould or something at work, from when and where your symptoms are worst.
- The right spray: Steroid, antihistamine or combination sprays, and the technique that makes them work.
- A plan that steps up: What to add if the first treatment is not enough, and what to avoid.
- Asthma looked after: Rhinitis can make asthma harder to control, so both are checked together.
What the doctor checks in an online consultation for allergic rhinitis
The doctor asks about the pattern of your symptoms, because the pattern usually reveals the trigger. The doctor asks about:
- Your symptoms: sneezing, itching, a runny or blocked nose, itchy, watery eyes, a cough, and how they affect your sleep and work.
- The pattern: whether they are seasonal or year-round, worse indoors or outdoors, at home, at work or near animals.
- Warning signs: symptoms on one side only, blood-stained discharge, pain, or heavy crusting.
- Asthma and eczema: wheezing, breathlessness or a cough at night, and a family history of allergies.
- What you have tried: which sprays and tablets, for how long, and how you used them.
- Your medicines: including blood pressure medicines, anti-inflammatory painkillers and decongestant sprays, which can cause a blocked nose themselves.
What is allergic rhinitis?
Allergic rhinitis is inflammation inside the nose caused by an allergy: the lining of the nose reacts to something in the air that is normally harmless. It affects about 26% of adults in the UK and 10 to 15% of children. For most people it is easy to treat.
Is allergic rhinitis the same as hay fever?
Hay fever is one kind of allergic rhinitis: the seasonal kind, caused by pollen at certain times of the year. Perennial allergic rhinitis is caused by allergens that are in the air all year, mainly house dust mites and pets. See hay fever.
What causes allergic rhinitis?
- pollen from trees, grass and weeds, which causes hay fever
- house dust mites; see dust mite allergy
- flakes of skin in the fur of animals such as cats and dogs; see pet allergy
- mould
- wood dust, flour dust and latex, often at work
You are more likely to have it if allergies, eczema or asthma run in your family.
What are the symptoms of allergic rhinitis?
Sneezing, an itchy nose, a runny or blocked nose, itchy, red, watery eyes, a cough and an itchy roof of the mouth. Symptoms usually start soon after contact with the allergen, and can spoil sleep.
How do I know if I have allergic rhinitis?
Symptoms that come back in the same season, in the same places or around the same animals, with itchy eyes and sneezing, point to an allergy. A cold does not last long, while allergic rhinitis keeps coming back for as long as you are around the trigger.
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Allergic rhinitis | Non-allergic rhinitis | A cold | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cause | An allergy to pollen, dust mites, pets or mould | Irritation of the nose, not an allergy | A virus |
| Typical triggers | Pollen season, dusty rooms, animals | Smoke, perfume, weather changes, alcohol, spicy food, some medicines | Catching it from others |
| How long | As long as you meet the trigger | Comes and goes with the triggers | Not long |
Mould allergy
Damp and mould at home release allergens and mould spores that can cause allergic rhinitis and asthma, with the same symptoms as other allergic rhinitis. Ventilate well when cooking and after bathing, keep extractor fans working, dry laundry outdoors where you can, and keep the home adequately heated.
What is non-allergic rhinitis?
Non-allergic rhinitis is irritation inside the nose that is not caused by an allergy. It causes a blocked or runny nose, sneezing, a sore throat and mucus dripping down the back of the throat. Its triggers include:
- smoke, perfume and paint fumes
- changes in temperature or humidity
- exercise, alcohol and spicy food
- hormone changes in pregnancy or puberty, or from HRT or the contraceptive pill
- an underactive thyroid
- medicines, including ACE inhibitors and beta blockers for blood pressure, aspirin and anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen
- using decongestant nasal sprays for longer than the packet says
Salt water rinses, avoiding the triggers and prescription nasal sprays help. The doctor may change a medicine that could be causing it.
What is the best treatment for allergic rhinitis?
A steroid nasal spray used every day is the most effective single treatment, especially for a blocked nose. Non-drowsy antihistamine tablets help sneezing, itching and eye symptoms, and a combination steroid and antihistamine spray helps when one treatment is not enough.
Steroid nasal sprays
They start to work 6 to 8 hours after the first dose, but can take up to 2 weeks to reach their full effect, so use them every day rather than only on bad days. How to use one:
- Shake the bottle and look down, towards your toes.
- Put the nozzle just inside the nostril and aim it towards the outside wall of the nostril, away from the middle of the nose.
- Spray while breathing in gently, and do not sniff hard afterwards.
Antihistamines
Non-drowsy antihistamines, such as cetirizine, fexofenadine and loratadine, are preferred. Drowsy ones, such as chlorphenamine, are not recommended because they cause sleepiness and slow thinking. Antihistamine nasal sprays and eye drops also exist.
Salt water rinses
Rinsing the nose with salt water washes out trapped allergens. It gives a small benefit and can reduce how much medicine you need.
Decongestant sprays
They unblock the nose quickly, but use them for no more than 5 days: longer use makes the nose block up again, called rebound congestion.
Prescription treatment
A prescription is never issued without a consultation. The doctor may prescribe a stronger steroid nasal spray, a combination spray, or, for severe blockage, a short course of steroid tablets. Montelukast is less effective than a steroid spray and is used mainly when asthma is present too. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
What does not help
Steroid injections, which are not recommended for allergic rhinitis. Drowsy antihistamines. Using a steroid spray only on bad days. Decongestant sprays for weeks at a time.
Can allergic rhinitis be cured permanently?
Medicines control the symptoms but do not change the allergy. The only treatment that can change the course of allergic rhinitis is allergen immunotherapy, sometimes called desensitisation: regular doses of the allergen, as tablets under the tongue or as injections, which retrain the immune system. It is usually given for 3 years, and the benefit often lasts for years after the treatment ends. In children with pollen allergy, it also lowered the chance of developing asthma.
Immunotherapy is started and supervised by an allergy specialist, for people with severe pollen or dust mite allergy whose symptoms continue despite the best medicines. The online doctor can tell you whether it is worth asking for, and arrange the referral.
Will allergic rhinitis go away?
It is often long-term, but for most people it is easy to control with treatment, and immunotherapy can bring relief that lasts for years.
Allergic rhinitis and asthma
The nose and the lungs are linked: 74% to 81% of people with asthma also have rhinitis, and rhinitis, allergic or not, is a strong risk factor for developing asthma. Untreated rhinitis makes asthma harder to control, so treating the nose well also helps the chest. See asthma.
Which allergic rhinitis treatment might the doctor recommend?
Treatment depends on your symptoms, how much they affect you and what you have already tried. This is the framework the doctors use:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| What you have | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mild sneezing and runny nose now and then | Non-drowsy antihistamine, salt water rinses | Yes | Not usually needed |
| A blocked nose most days, or symptoms all year | A daily steroid nasal spray, used the right way | Yes | Not usually needed |
| Still uncontrolled on a steroid spray | A combination spray, and checking the technique | Yes | Specialist care if still uncontrolled |
| Severe symptoms despite the best medicines | Referral for allergy tests and immunotherapy | Partly | Allergy clinic |
| Rhinitis with asthma getting worse | Treating both together | Yes | If asthma is severe: urgent care |
| Symptoms on one side, bleeding, pain or crusting | An examination by an ear, nose and throat specialist | No | Always |
Sneezing and a blocked nose that never really go away? A doctor can find the trigger and the treatment that works in one consultation.
See available times →Living with allergic rhinitis
- Avoid your trigger where you can: see the pages on dust mites, pets and hay fever.
- Use a steroid spray every day during your season, or all year if your symptoms are year-round.
- Rinse your nose with salt water after time outdoors in pollen season, or after dusty jobs.
- Keep your home free of damp and mould.
- Do not smoke, and avoid smoky places.
- If your symptoms are worse at work and better on days off, tell the doctor: dust, flour or latex at work can be the cause.
Nasal polyps
A blocked nose that does not improve with sprays, with a reduced sense of smell or taste, can be caused by nasal polyps, painless soft growths inside the nose. They are more common in people with asthma and aspirin sensitivity, and usually shrink with steroid drops or sprays. Nasal polyps that do not improve after about 12 weeks may need surgery.
Special situations
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Hormone changes in pregnancy can block the nose without an allergy. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist before taking any medicine: loratadine is usually recommended if you need an antihistamine in pregnancy.
Driving and work
Drowsy antihistamines can affect coordination, reaction speed and judgement: do not drive or use machinery after taking them.
A blocked nose or sinus pain
A blocked nose with pain in the face, or a cold that will not clear, may be sinusitis. See sinusitis and nasal congestion.
Children
Mobi Doctor consultations are for adults aged 18 and over. A child who is unwell needs a paediatrician or a local doctor in person, and emergency signs in a child mean 112.
When allergic rhinitis is treated online, and when you need in-person care
Treated online: diagnosing allergic and non-allergic rhinitis from your symptoms, steroid and combination nasal sprays, antihistamines, a plan to step treatment up, and referral for tests or immunotherapy.
In-person care: allergy tests and immunotherapy at a specialist clinic, symptoms on one side, bleeding, pain or crusting, nasal polyps that do not shrink, and severe asthma.
When to get in-person care
Call 112 or go to an emergency department now for:
- sudden swelling of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue
- difficulty breathing, or a severe asthma attack that your reliever inhaler is not helping
- skin, lips or tongue turning blue, grey or pale
Get medical advice the same day for:
- asthma symptoms that are getting worse
- heavy bleeding from the nose, or blood-stained discharge from one side
- severe pain or swelling around the eyes or in the face
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CEST. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about your symptoms: say when and where they are worst, what you have tried, and whether you have asthma.
- Leave with a plan: what to use and how, what to avoid, what to add if it is not enough, and which signs mean you should be seen in person. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
No sign-up needed
Not sure it’s allergic rhinitis? Tick every symptom you have to see each condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Hay Fever can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about allergic rhinitis
What is allergic rhinitis?
Inflammation inside the nose caused by an allergy, to pollen in season or to dust mites, pets or mould all year round. It causes sneezing, itching and a runny or blocked nose.
Is allergic rhinitis the same as hay fever?
Hay fever is the seasonal kind of allergic rhinitis, caused by pollen. Perennial allergic rhinitis lasts all year and is usually caused by house dust mites or pets.
Is it allergic rhinitis or a cold?
A cold brings a sore throat, thick mucus and sometimes a temperature, builds over a couple of days and clears within about 2 weeks. Allergic rhinitis brings sneezing in bursts, a clear runny nose, an itchy nose and itchy, watery eyes, starts soon after contact with the trigger, comes back in the same season or place, and lasts as long as the exposure does. Non-allergic rhinitis, set off by smoke, perfume or temperature changes, blocks the nose without the itching.
How do I know if I have allergic rhinitis?
Allergic rhinitis shows as sneezing, itching and a runny or blocked nose that come back in the same season, place or around the same animals, often with itchy, watery eyes. A cold usually clears within a couple of weeks.
What is the best treatment for allergic rhinitis?
A steroid nasal spray used every day is the most effective single treatment for allergic rhinitis. Non-drowsy antihistamines help sneezing and itchy eyes, and a combination spray helps when one treatment is not enough.
How long do steroid nasal sprays take to work?
Steroid nasal sprays for allergic rhinitis start to work 6 to 8 hours after the first dose, but can take up to 2 weeks to reach their full effect, so use them every day.
Can allergic rhinitis be cured permanently?
Medicines control it but do not cure it. Allergen immunotherapy, usually given for 3 years by a specialist, is the only treatment that changes the course, and its benefit often lasts for years.
How can I prevent allergic rhinitis symptoms?
Cut your contact with the allergen: for pollen, check the forecast, keep windows shut in the car and bedroom, shower and change after being outside and wear wraparound sunglasses; for dust mites, use allergen-proof bedding covers and wash bedding hot; for pets, keep them out of the bedroom. Start a steroid nasal spray 2 weeks before your season begins, because it works best used early and every day, and a salt water rinse clears allergen from the nose. Well-controlled allergic rhinitis also protects your asthma.
Will allergic rhinitis go away?
Allergic rhinitis is often long-term, because the allergy itself rarely disappears, but for most people it is easy to control with a daily steroid nasal spray and a non-drowsy antihistamine, and symptoms often ease with age. Immunotherapy, tablets or injections given by a specialist over 3 years, can bring relief that lasts for years after it ends.
How can I calm down allergic rhinitis quickly?
A non-drowsy antihistamine and a salt water rinse ease allergic rhinitis symptoms, and a decongestant spray unblocks the nose, for no more than 5 days. A daily steroid spray gives the best control, and starts to work 6 to 8 hours after the first dose.
What is non-allergic rhinitis?
Irritation inside the nose that is not caused by an allergy, triggered by smoke, perfume, weather changes, alcohol, hormones or some medicines. It causes a blocked or runny nose.
Can allergic rhinitis cause asthma?
Rhinitis is a strong risk factor for developing asthma, and most people with asthma also have rhinitis, because the nose and the lungs share the same inflamed lining. Untreated allergic rhinitis makes asthma harder to control, and treating the nose properly often improves the chest, so wheeze, a tight chest or a night cough alongside rhinitis is worth mentioning to the doctor.
Are steroid injections good for allergic rhinitis?
No. Steroid injections are not recommended for allergic rhinitis. A steroid nasal spray works better and more safely, and a short course of steroid tablets is used only for severe blockage.
Can an online doctor treat allergic rhinitis?
Yes, usually. A doctor can diagnose allergic rhinitis from your symptoms and their pattern, prescribe nasal sprays and antihistamines, show you how to use a spray so it works, and arrange a specialist for tests or immunotherapy. One-sided symptoms, bleeding, pain or a blocked nose that never clears need an examination in person.
- Allergic rhinitis, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 8 January 2026.
- BSACI guideline for the diagnosis and management of allergic and non-allergic rhinitis (revised edition 2017), Scadding GK, et al. Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 2017.
- Rhinitis and hayfever, ENT UK, published 15 August 2023.
- Non-allergic rhinitis, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 4 March 2026.
- Nasal polyps, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 29 June 2023.
- Antihistamines, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 16 May 2023.
- Understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home, UK Government guidance, updated 1 April 2026.
- Asthma attacks, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 7 April 2025.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
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