Your GP can often diagnose allergic rhinitis from your symptoms and medical history.
What happens at your GP appointment
Your GP will ask:
- when and where the reaction happens
- if anything triggers a reaction
They may examine the inside of your nose to check for nasal polyps.
Nasal polyps are fleshy swellings that grow on the lining of your nose or sinuses (the small cavities inside your nose). The swelling that happens as a result of allergic rhinitis can cause nasal polyps.
Your GP can confirm a diagnosis of allergic rhinitis after treatment starts. If your symptoms improve when you take antihistamines, it's likely the cause is an allergy.
Allergy testing
If the exact cause of allergic rhinitis is uncertain, your GP may refer you for allergy testing.
Commercial allergy testing kits are not recommended. These tests are often lower quality than tests done by qualified healthcare professionals.
Test results need to be reviewed by a professional with knowledge of your symptoms and medical history.
There are 2 main allergy tests:
- skin-prick tests
- blood tests
Skin prick tests
The tester places the allergen on your arm and pricks the surface of your skin with a needle. This introduces the allergen to your immune system.
If you're allergic to the substance, a welt (small itchy spot) appears.
Blood tests
Blood tests check for the immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody in your blood. Your immune system produces this antibody in response to an allergen.
Other tests
You may need other hospital tests to check for complications, such as nasal polyps or sinusitis.
You may need a:
- nasal endoscopy - your ear nose and throat (ENT) doctor looks inside your nose using an endoscope
- CT scan - a scan that uses x-rays and a computer to create detailed images of the inside of the body