Management of rhinitis: guidelines, evidence basis, and systematic clinical approach for what we do

Whereas very mild rhinitis may be simply and successfully self-managed by patients using medications available over the counter, most patients with rhinitis who present to medical offices have more severe rhinitis that may need a more comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic approach. Optimal care may require special diagnostic studies and combination therapies that are arrived at only after trying multiple different medication and therapeutic options. This article presents a systematic approach to office care of rhinitis from the perspective of an allergist-immunologist. More emphasis is given to discussion of dilemmas that face the specialist or more involved considerations that have been highlighted in recently published guidelines.