Rhinitis in Primary Care

Rhinitis affects a significant portion of the world population and increases the cost of health care by billions of dollars in treatment costs and missed days of work. Allergic rhinitis is the most common cause. Rhinitis is primarily a clinical diagnosis which can be confirmed with specific testing as indicated to ascertain causative agents. Initial treatment includes using topical agents like intranasal corticosteroids and inhaled antihistamines as the first-line therapies for both allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinitis. Therapy can evolve in a stepwise manner depending on the primary symptom complaint prior to referral for advanced therapies such as allergen immunotherapy.