Allergic rhinitis causes sneezing, a runny or blocked nose and itchy eyes when the nose reacts to dust mites, pollen, mould or pets. Avoiding triggers and a regular nasal spray control it for most people.
Reviewed September 2026 · For information, not diagnosis
In India call 112 for emergencies or 108 for an ambulance, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department. Do not wait to see whether a remedy works.
In allergic rhinitis the immune system treats harmless particles — dust-mite droppings, pollen, mould spores, animal dander — as a threat. The lining of the nose releases histamine and other chemicals, causing:
It can be seasonal (hay fever, from pollen) or perennial (all year, usually from dust mites, cockroaches, mould or pets). It often runs in families with eczema and asthma, and controlling the nose helps asthma control too. Allergic rhinitis cannot be cured by any treatment in weeks, but it can be controlled well, and it often eases with age.
| Allergic rhinitis | Common cold | Sinusitis | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Itch | Nose, eyes and palate itch | Rare | Rare |
| Discharge | Clear and watery | Clear, then thicker | Thick, often yellow-green |
| Fever and aches | No | Sometimes, mild | Sometimes |
| Facial pain | No | Mild | Pain and pressure over cheeks or forehead |
| How long | As long as the exposure lasts | 7–10 days | Usually 2–3 weeks |
If the diagnosis is unclear, or you are considering long-term avoidance measures or immunotherapy, a doctor can confirm what you are allergic to with skin-prick tests or blood tests for specific IgE.
| Treatment | Best for | Points to know |
|---|---|---|
| Saline nasal rinse or spray | Washing out allergens and mucus | Safe for daily use at any age; use sterile or boiled-and-cooled water. |
| Steroid nasal spray (e.g. fluticasone, mometasone) | Blocked nose and moderate–persistent symptoms | The most effective single treatment. Takes several days to work fully; use every day in the season. Aim slightly outwards, away from the middle of the nose. |
| Non-drowsy antihistamine tablets (cetirizine, loratadine, fexofenadine) | Sneezing, itch and runny nose | Work within an hour. Cetirizine can still cause drowsiness in some people. |
| Antihistamine or combination nasal spray | Quick relief | Can be combined with a steroid spray in one device. |
| Eye drops | Itchy, watery eyes | Antihistamine or mast-cell-stabiliser drops. |
| Allergen immunotherapy | Severe allergy to one main trigger not controlled by medicines | Tablets under the tongue or injections for about three years, from an allergy specialist. The only treatment that changes the allergy itself. |
Two treatments to avoid
A homeopath notes the character of the discharge (burning or bland), which symptoms are strongest, what brings them on and eases them, the season, and the person’s general make-up, and chooses a remedy. Some also prescribe “isopathic” preparations made from the allergen itself (for example, diluted house dust or pollen); these are not the same as allergen immunotherapy, which uses measured, non-diluted doses.
Using homeopathy safely with allergic rhinitis
A 2017 systematic review found 11 trials of homeopathy for allergic rhinitis, eight of them at high risk of bias. Three small trials of one remedy (Galphimia glauca) suggested some relief of nose and eye symptoms, but the reviewers cautioned that the low or uncertain quality of the evidence prevents firm conclusions.
More broadly, the largest independent assessment — the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council’s 2015 review of 176 studies — found no reliable evidence that homeopathy is effective for any health condition, and advised against using it for conditions that are chronic, serious or could become serious. People often do feel better after a long, unhurried homeopathic consultation; in one controlled trial in rheumatoid arthritis, the benefit came from the consultation rather than the remedy.
In practice: if you choose homeopathy, use it alongside the care described on this page, not instead of it — and tell each practitioner what the other has prescribed. More on the research →
These are the traditional descriptions (“keynotes”) from the homeopathic materia medica, listed so you recognise names a practitioner may mention. They are not evidence that a remedy works and not a guide to self-treatment. Homeopaths choose one remedy for the whole person rather than by diagnosis.
Described for a streaming, burning nasal discharge with bland, watery eyes.
Described for burning, watering eyes with a bland nasal discharge.
Described for violent, repeated sneezing fits with an itchy nose.
Described for thin, burning discharge in chilly, restless people.
Described for sneezing in the morning with a discharge like raw egg-white.
Described for a nose that runs by day and blocks at night, with irritability.
Described for an intensely itchy palate and throat.
Used as a combination-style hay-fever remedy; the remedy most studied in trials.
If you would like to try homeopathy, see a registered homeopathic doctor (BHMS or MD (Hom)) who will take a full history, knows your other treatment and will tell you when you need a medical specialist. Take your prescriptions and recent test reports with you.
No homeopaths have a profile on NeedsDoctor yet, so we cannot suggest one here. Choosing a homeopath explains how to check a practitioner’s qualifications and registration.
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This page is general information, reviewed September 2026. It is not a diagnosis and does not replace a consultation. Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine without talking to the doctor who prescribed it. In an emergency in India call 112 (ambulance 108).
