RHINITIS: WHEN WE NEED TO LOOK BEYOND THE NOSE

Rhinitis is what we commonly call a runny nose. But in reality, the term rhinitis covers much more than that.

Rhinitis is inflammation and disruption of the normal function of the nasal lining. It can cause not only a runny nose, but also nasal congestion, swelling, sneezing, itching, mucus dripping down the back of the throat, reduced sense of smell, and difficulty breathing through the nose.

Sometimes a person may hardly have a “runny nose” at all — there is no constant discharge, but the nose remains persistently blocked. This can also be rhinitis.

There are different types of rhinitis: allergic, infectious, non-allergic — including vasomotor rhinitis — medication-induced, acute and chronic.

Vasomotor rhinitis is a type of non-allergic rhinitis in which the nasal lining reacts too strongly to ordinary triggers such as cold air, strong smells, smoke, changes in temperature, spicy foods or stress.

The blood vessels in the nasal lining dilate, causing swelling, congestion and/or watery discharge, even though there may be no allergy or infection involved.

Simply put, the nose starts overreacting to things that would not normally cause such a strong response.

The symptoms of different types of rhinitis may look very similar, while their underlying causes and mechanisms can be completely different.

That is why I do not like the approach:

“Your nose is blocked — you need nasal drops”

For me, the more important questions are:

Why is the nasal lining constantly irritated?
Why does it keep swelling?
Why is too much mucus being produced?
And what is preventing the mucosa from recovering properly?

Mucus itself is not the enemy. We need it. It moisturises our mucous membranes, traps dust, allergens and other particles, and forms part of the natural defence system of our respiratory tract.

The problem begins when too much mucus is produced, the nasal lining remains swollen and irritated, its normal function is disrupted, and breathing freely through the nose becomes difficult.

So when I work with chronic rhinitis, I prefer not to work only with the nose.

I work with the person as a whole.

MY APPROACH TO RHINITIS

🌿 HERBAL MEDICINE

I select medicinal herbs according to the type of rhinitis, the degree of inflammation, the nature of the nasal discharge and the person’s overall condition.

Herbal medicine can be used to support the mucous membranes, help manage the inflammatory response, support the clearance of excess secretions and promote normal respiratory function.

💧 NUTRITIONAL CORRECTION

This is an important part of my approach to chronic rhinitis.

We look at the person’s diet and identify whether particular foods appear to worsen congestion, swelling or excessive mucus production.

I sometimes describe this simply as “reducing excess mucus in the body”, although physiologically, what we are doing is slightly different.

The aim is not to eliminate mucus — our body needs it. The aim is to create conditions in which the mucous membranes are no longer constantly producing it in excess.

And sometimes dietary changes can make a much greater difference than a person expects.

🩸 PRP THERAPY

PRP — Platelet-Rich Plasma — is prepared from a person’s own blood and contains a concentrated level of platelets and associated growth factors.

In my practice, I use PRP as a regenerative approach, with the aim of supporting tissue repair and the recovery of the nasal mucosa.

Here, we are looking beyond temporary relief from congestion and focusing on the condition of the mucosa itself and its ability to recover.

⚪ HOMEOPATHY

In homeopathy, there is no single universal remedy “for rhinitis”.

I consider the nature of the discharge, congestion, timing of symptoms, seasonality, reactions to heat and cold, accompanying sensations and the individual characteristics of the person.

This is why two people with the same diagnosis of rhinitis may receive completely different homeopathic prescriptions.

🌀 BIORESONANCE

I use bioresonance as part of an individual and holistic approach.

In my practice, I work with the Paul Schmidt method, looking not only at the nose and respiratory tract, but at the person as a whole and at the functional systems that may be relevant to the overall picture.

For me, it is another tool that allows the programme to be tailored to the individual rather than simply to the name of a diagnosis.

🩸 HIRUDOTHERAPY

Hirudotherapy — therapy using medicinal leeches — is another method that I may include in an individual programme when appropriate and when there are no contraindications.

The secretion of the medicinal leech contains a complex mixture of biologically active substances, which is why I consider hirudotherapy within the context of working with the body as a whole rather than simply as a local treatment for one symptom.

NOT JUST STOPPING A RUNNY NOSE

When working with chronic rhinitis, my goal is not simply to make the nose breathe freely for a few hours after another nasal spray.

I am much more interested in understanding:

Why does the nasal lining continue to react?
What is maintaining the inflammation and swelling?
Why is excessive mucus being produced?
What is preventing normal recovery?

My approach may therefore include nutritional correction, herbal medicine, PRP, homeopathy, bioresonance and hirudotherapy.

This certainly does not mean that every person needs all of these methods at the same time.

Quite the opposite.

Good individual therapy is not about using the maximum number of treatments. It is about selecting the right methods for the individual person.

Because a runny or blocked nose is what we can see.

But the real work begins with the question:

Why does the body keep creating the symptom?