Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common disorder which has a major impact on the lives of sufferers and families. Although currently there is no cure for this disease, a variety of therapeutic interventions can alleviate the symptoms. It is important that nurses are able to differentiate allergic and non-allergic rhinitis (NAR) from viral upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) in order to best manage their patients. It is also necessary to ask appropriate questions of those patients attending for asthma review, as
they may have unrecognised and untreated disease. Familiarity with the range of medications and their administration is advocated. Patients with troublesome, non-responding symptoms need to be referred, as do those with red flag signs.
Susan Winterburn & Marie Massey discuss the management of the common cold
Susan A Winterburn RGN, RHV, BSc, M Med Sci is a Senior Nursing Lecturer Marie Theresse Massey RGN, RSCN, B Med Sci is a Nursing Lecturer at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sheffield, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield
Article accepted for publication: January 2007
