When to Make the Appointment
Problems including nasal congestion, sneezing, and itchy, runny nose can be caused by a variety of conditions. Your doctor can play an important role in the correct diagnosis.
Questions Your Doctor Will Ask
In order to determine whether you have an allergic condition, or something else, your physician will conduct a thorough medical examination, but first you will be asked to answer several questions that can provide important clues.
These questions may include the following:
- What are your symptoms? Describe what triggers your symptoms, what happens when you have a reaction, severity of your symptoms, and how long your symptoms last
- Are your symptoms seasonal or do you have symptoms all year?
- Have you previously been tested for allergies?
- Have you ever been hit in your face or nose or been in an accident that resulted in a broken nose or affected your sinuses?
- What are you exposed to in your environment (home, work, school)? Your physician will want to know about the following triggers:
- Is your home, school, or work environment well ventilated?
- Which medications are you using?
- Does anyone in your family have allergies? Who are they and what is their allergic history?
The Examination
After you have provided information about your medical history, your physician will examine you. The examination will focus on the factors relevant to a proper diagnosis. A typical exam would include:
- Nose: Using a nasal speculum, your physician will examine your nasal cavity looking for signs of allergy, including redness and swelling in the nasal mucosal lining, blockage, watery discharge, or nasal polyps. Another sign of allergies is the presence of enlarged turbinates – the bony structure inside of your nose
- Throat: Your physician will examine your throat for signs of postnasal drainage, swelling, and reddening of the inner throat as a result of inflammation
- Ears: Using a pneumatic otoscope to blow air into your ear at different levels of pressure, your physician will examine your ears to see if there is fluid buildup in the eardrums
- Lungs: Your physician will listen to your breathing to detect any wheezing
Telltale Signs
In the course of your visit, your physician will be looking for telltale signs of allergy, including watching you to see if you are breathing through your mouth or wiping your nose with an upward motion, which can be caused by constant itching of the nose and may result in nasal creases called "the allergic salute." If your physician suspects that you have allergic rhinitis, he may recommend that you undergo more extensive diagnostic testing.
