How Are Rhinitis And Asthma Related?

Medical science empirically knows the relationship between rhinitis and asthma. It is not unusual for an asthmatic patient to show signs of allergy in the upper respiratory tract in the spring. The same goes in reverse.

Now where does this intrinsic link reside? For some researchers, it is a common source that is in the immune system ; for others, it is the similar shape of the respiratory mucosa that is shared between the bronchi and the nose. Let’s see more about this.

What is rhinitis?

Rhinitis is an inflammation of the nasal mucosa. It can respond to several etiologic agents, but the end result is always an increase in size due to the accumulation of fluids and inflammatory cells from an external agent or an internal stimulus.

There are infectious and non-infectious rhinitis. In the first case, a microorganism invades the nose and infects it, whether it is a virus or a bacteria. The body reacts to colonization and triggers mechanisms to expel the invading agent. This determines inflammation.

In the case of non-infectious rhinitis, the most common is the allergic form, which is the most common in asthmatics. Without being a virus or bacteria, the external agent is a particle recognized as foreign and is attacked. When plants bloom, pollen is often one of the causes.

Read on: 5 Herbs to Treat Allergic Rhinitis

What is asthma?

Bronchial asthma is an inflammation of the lining of the bronchi with hyperresponsiveness. In other words, in addition to the inflammatory process, the airways abruptly close and impede the normal flow of air.

It is classified as an obstructive and chronic respiratory disease. Its course evolves in the form of long-term acute episodes. There are certain triggers for flare-ups, such as colds or infections, which are more common in winter. Therefore, this period is what most affects these people.

Diagnosis of the condition is usually made at an early age. These are children who start with bronchospasm when they do physical activity or when their temperature drops. First, the problem is treated with bronchodilators to assess its evolution, but if the attacks reoccur, the diagnosis of asthma is confirmed.

The severity of the disease is not always the same, nor is the evolution linear. There are people in whom the pathology presents itself in a mild form, with only one attack per year, while others experience an almost persistent state of shortness of breath.

Why is there a relationship between rhinitis and asthma?

Explanations for why asthma patients often suffer from rhinitis are varied. It is estimated that up to 75% of asthmatics have inflammation of the nasal mucosa. On the other hand, those diagnosed with rhinitis have bronchospasm in 40% of cases. Let’s look at some theories about this relationship.

mouth breath

One of the explanations why people with rhinitis also have asthma is the lack of sufficient airflow through the nose. As there is inflammation of the mucosa, these patients prefer to breathe through the mouth, which avoids humidification and heating of the air.

Thus, when cold, dry air reaches the bronchi, the airway tends to contract, as this flow is identified as harmful. Several scientific studies have shown that bronchoconstriction increases in cold weather, for example, in snow and winter athletes.

communication between mucous membranes

Several researches reveal the relationship between all parts of the respiratory mucosa. If there is stimulation through allergens in the nose, it is very likely that the bronchial cells react in some way. On the other hand, when the lower airways contract, the nasal mucosa changes.

Part of the pathophysiological mechanism would lie in nerve communication and blood vessel reactivity. That’s what appears to be behind exercise-induced asthma, mediated by the rush of adrenaline and norepinephrine that is triggered by sport stimuli.

These neurotransmitters relate rhinitis and asthma, causing a reduction in the size of blood vessels. Throughout the respiratory mucosa, this narrowing reduces circulation and the ability to respond to external agents.

The immune system and the relationship between rhinitis and asthma

A special type of white blood cell is eosinophils. They have a special role in mediating allergic reactions throughout the body. On the one hand, researchers investigated its role in rhinitis, on the other hand, they also studied its role in asthma.

It is supposed that, since it is a similar mechanism, it makes sense that allergic reactions share the common pathway of these cells and that their increase in situations of combating external agents is fundamental.

In addition, the substances of inflammation are not static, but take advantage of the blood circulation to move, being able to pass from the nose to the bronchi.

Rhinitis and asthma: similar but different

It is possible to explain the relationship between rhinitis and asthma through various hypotheses, but this does not mean that it is the same condition. Some medications used are similar, although the approach does not have the same protocols for one and the other.

It is essential that treating physicians distinguish one condition from another so that the therapy is correct. In any case, the asthmatic patient must learn to deal with a rhinitis attack, as he has a high probability of suffering from the disease.