Investigation and management of rhinitis

The family physician is ideally situated to deal with most chronic-recurrent nasal problems. The physician is alerted to the real problem by the recognition that terms such as 'sinus' and 'colds' often camouflage the problem of chronic rhinitis and chronic nasal obstruction. Avoidance of offending substances, the use of medications, the occasional judicious use of allergen injection treatment and sometimes surgical intervention for nasal polyps provide different modalities of treatment which can have a major beneficial effect upon symptoms. Improved results are often achieved with a more analytic approach to the use of antihistimine and the availability of topical steroids and topical cromoglycate. The treatment method described embodies a systematic approach involving the sequential addition of modalities until specified objectives are achieved.