DEAR READER: Vasomotor rhinitis occurs because the blood vessels in the lining of the nose swell. This stimulates the mucous glands in the nose, resulting in a chronic stuffy/runny nose. While not harmful, the condition can be extremely annoying.

Causes vary from person to person but can include medications, weather changes, specific foods, irritants in the air and chronic health conditions. Perhaps if we consider each possibility, we can zero in on the cause of your rhinitis.

Medications, including aspirin, ibuprofen, sedatives, antidepressants and those taken for hypertension, erectile dysfunction and oral contraceptives, can trigger activity. Even the decongestant nasal sprays you have tried can cause negative symptoms.

Changes in temperature and humidity can cause nasal membranes to swell, resulting in a runny nose.

Specific foods, primarily those that are spicy, and alcoholic beverages, such as beer and wine, trigger such activity.

Irritants in the air you breathe — perfumes, pet dander, secondhand smoke, chemicals from a nearby plant or factory, dust, flowers in bloom and a host of other triggers — can be to blame.

Lastly, medical conditions such as nasal polyps, middle-ear infections, stress, hypothyroidism and hormonal changes can be to blame.

A physician listening to the presenting symptoms will likely make the diagnosis; he or she may have to rule out the possibility of allergies through skin or blood testing. During skin testing, the skin is exposed to small amounts of common airborne allergens, such as those from pollen, cats, dogs or dust mites. Blood tests measure the amount of specific antibodies in the blood. In an attempt to rule out sinus issues, a CT scan, a form of computerized X-ray, or nasal endoscopy, accomplished with the assistance of a fiberoptic camera, might be ordered.

Treatment will depend on the severity of symptoms. For some, over-the-counter or prescription decongestants will reduce congestion and narrow nasal blood vessels. Nasal sprays, of which there are many, include saline, antihistamines, corticosteroids and decongestants.

Because symptoms can last a few hours or a few days, appear almost constantly or are more pronounced at a specific time of the year, I recommend the following. Keep a journal of when an attack occurs and what preceded it. Did you inhale exhaust fumes while riding behind a diesel truck on an interstate highway? Did you eat spicy foods at a luncheon buffet? Did you have a visitor who smokes? Did you visit a friend who has a woodstove for heat? Are you on a beta-blocker medication for hypertension? Are there similarities in conditions that precede each attack? If so, try to identify them and then make further attempts to avoid the possible trigger(s).

To provide related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Allergies.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092-0167. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form off my website at www.AskDrGottMD.com.

My 41-year-old daughter was diagnosed with this. She is married, has a daughter and lives in London. Her condition prevents her from working fulltime at any job. Please help!

DEAR READER:
Vasomotor rhinitis is a condition that causes a constant runny nose, sneezing, and nasal congestion. It is not caused by an infection or allergy. Symptoms are often triggered by certain medications, air pollution, strong emotions, dry atmosphere, spicy foods, or other irritants.

The condition is similar to that associated with minor upper respiratory infections and allergies but without an obvious cause. Without knowing what the triggers are, treatment can be difficult.

I suggest your daughter keep a journal of her daily activities and substances to which she is exposed. For example, are her symptoms worse when the air is dry or if she is upset? By keeping a daily record, she may be able to spot patterns that will then allow her to reduce or prevent contact with the offending trigger(s).

Decongestants and antihistamine or steroid nasal sprays may bring symptoms under better control. Your daughter should be under the care of an otolaryngologist (ear-nose-and-throat specialist). He or she can then help her develop a treatment plan.

Now to a related, but perhaps not medical, topic. You claim your daughter cannot hold down a full time job because of this condition. I find this incredibly hard to believe. She appears to be using this benign, yet annoying condition as an excuse. No one likes having a drippy nose or sneezing, but to claim it prevents full-time employment is, in my opinion, rubbish.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Allergies”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.