Causes of Chronic Rhinitis

• Post nasal drips need different cures depending on what is causing the symptoms. Usually, post nasal drips are caused by either an infection or an allergic reaction. If the symptoms are occurring along with aches, fever and fatigue, it is probably due to a bacterial or viral infection. If it happens during allergy season or after being exposed to something you are allergic to, it is likely a symptom of the allergies. You can also check the color of the mucus. If it is clear, it is likely allergy related. If it is tinted green or yellow, there is likely an infection.
  
  

General Treatments

• When deciding on an over-the-counter medication, it is important to read the labels to find out what the active ingredients are. General medications for post nasal drips work by lowering inflammation in the nose. Oral medications often use pseudoephedrine to treat the condition, but some use ephedrine and phenylephrine. Another option besides pills are nasal sprays. These use naphazoline, xylometazoline, oxymetazoline or phenylephrine. Nasal sprays should only be used temporarily, and need to be limited to a few days so the body doesn't become dependent.
  
  

Specific Treatments

• Post nasal drips have some specific treatments based on what is causing the condition. Infections that are not related to allergies can be either viral or bacterial. Bacterial infections can sometimes be treated by antibiotics like penicillin. For allergy-related post nasal drips, over-the-counter antihistamines and corticosteroids can provide relief. Sprays are usually the first drug to be tried, but they can also be taken as pills. In order to prevent the body from becoming dependent on these drugs, they can only be taken for a few days.