Exercise-induced Rhinitis: What is it and What Can Be Done About It?

I was proud of myself when I first started working out and making an effort to become healthier after years of being severely obese and sedentary. When I first started exercising at the gym, although I didn't pay much attention in the beginning, my nose would run after every exercise session. By the time I blew my nose and left the gym, I had forgotten all about the occurrence. After a while, it started to become annoying when my nose began running during and after exercise, so I mentioned it to my doctor one day and he said that I might have a condition called exercise-induced rhinitis.

What is exercise-induced rhinitis? - Rhinitis is an inflammation of the nasal passages, explains The American Academy of Family Physicians. There are two primary types of rhinitis: allergic and non-allergic. Rhinitis caused by exercising falls into the non-allergic category since there is typically no allergen causing the nose to become inflamed. Some people, especially many athletes, develop non-allergic rhinitis while exercising, causing symptoms for seemingly no apparent reason.

What are symptoms of exercise-induced rhinitis? - Symptoms of exercise-induced rhinitis includes a runny and/or stuffy nose and sneezing. Symptoms usually clear up after exercise has ceased, which is what happens when I exercise.

What causes this "weird" type of rhinitis? - My doctor explained that some people are more sensitive to physical stress than others, and exercise can cause a certain amount of stress on the body although the exercise itself is healthy.

What can be done to stop it? - Since my exercise-induced rhinitis is tolerable, I'm not going to treat it. My doctor suggested nasal sprays and even antihistamines, but I feel why take medication which has the potential to cause undesirable side-effects just for a simple runny nose. Mayo clinic doctors suggest using a neti pot, which can be purchased at your local drug store, to gently rinse the nasal passages and remove any potential irritants. If my condition gets worse, I may try something mild like a nasal rinse, but otherwise, I'm not taking any medications.

Should I see a doctor? - Exercise-induced rhinitis only occurs when a person afflicted with it is exercising, so there's usually no need to see a doctor. The only time you might want to see a doctor is if you notice that you're having symptoms even when you're not exercising, which could signify allergic rhinitis, a treatment condition caused by environmental allergies. On extremely rare occasions, a person can develop more than just a runny or stuffy nose from exercising. If this happens to you, especially if you're having difficulty breathing, seek medical help immediately.

Does this mean I'm allergic to exercise? - No, most definitely not. I am certainly not going to allow a small nuisance to put an end to my successful fitness regimen, and you shouldn't either. To me it's no big deal to have to contend with a minor problem like a runny nose, and I'll continue to exercise as often as I always have, and also as vigorously as I like. The benefits of the actual exercise far outweigh an annoying runny nose.

References
Fit Sugar EIR - http://www.fitsugar.com/Exercise-Induced-Rhinitis-Makes-Your-Nose-Run-When-Exercising-3161441

Mayo Clinic Non-allergic Rhinitis - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nonallergic-rhinitis/DS00809/DSECTION=causes

Medscape Exercise-induced Rhinitis - http://cme.medscape.com/viewarticle/524083