The diagnosis of allergic rhinitis and non allergic rhinitis begins with a careful history of your symptoms. We want to know when your symptoms occur, if your symptoms are worse in any season of the year, what makes them worse, how long they have been going on for, where you live and how long you have lived there, and if you have any pets.

An examination of the ears, nose and throat may show swelling of the lining of the nose that is typical for allergic or non allergic rhinitis. In addition nasal endoscopy may be used to see into the back of the nose, and sinus openings. Nasal endoscopy is performed in the office with a small endoscope that is inserted into the nostrils. The nose is first treated with a spray to shrink the lining of the nose, in order to see further back and to allow room for the scope. The nose is then treated with a numbing spray (lidocaine) so the scope exam does not hurt. Nasal endoscopy can quickly determine the presence of redness, swelling, abnormal drainage, polyps, and other abnormalities. In some cases, a CT (computed tomography Xray) of the sinuses will aid in the diagnosis of rhinitis.

Blood tests may be done to determine if you have an abnormal amount of immunoglobulin E (IgE) in the blood stream. Allergy testing can be done to determine if you have abnormal responses to various allergens and pollens. We can test for allergies to the various pollens, dust, mold, pet danders and foods. Allergy testing is usually done with scratch tests on your arm or back in order to determine if you react to the different allergens. In children, a blood test for allergies can be done in order to make testing easier.