Diagnosing Allergies
Who Makes the Diagnosis?
The actual diagnosis of allergic rhinitis is made by the doctor. It is a clinical diagnosis based primarily on the history of symptoms and a physical examination. The doctor needs to know what symptoms you are having, when they occur and what brings them on, how long they last, and what, if anything, you do to make them go away, or at least decrease in severity.
Diagnostic tests can be used to confirm the diagnosis but not to make a diagnosis in the absence of any symptoms of abnormal findings on the history or physical examination. For this reason, it is often important for patients who are concerned about the possibility of allergic rhinitis to be seen by a specialist.
One of the things that you can do before your visit is to think about these questions so that when the doctor is taking a history, you are already prepared with the answers. Here is what the doctor will need to know:
Medical and Personal History
A detailed history is critical to the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis. Symptoms of allergic and nonallergic rhinitis are often similar so the patient is typically asked about specific symptoms and symptom patterns, including: onset (when symptoms occur), how symptoms have developed over time, and the severity of the symptoms. In addition to these key questions, the doctor will ask about:
- The duration of symptoms
- Relationship to seasons
- Associated symptoms related to the eyes, throat and general body systems
- Presence of recurrent sinus or ear infections
- Factors that tend to bring on the symptoms
- Association with asthma flare-ups
The doctor will probably also ask about personal and family histories of allergic diseases, any previous allergy testing, use of medications (both prescription and nonprescription medications), history of trauma to the face or nose and past surgery on the nose. To help you get organized for your visit you may want to prepare in advance using our Annual Check-up List; or view Questions to Ask.
See the Physical Exam for more details about what the doctor may be looking for to determine allergic rhinitis.
CLARINEX®, a prescription medication, treats year-round allergy symptoms and ongoing hives of unknown cause, in adults and children 6 months and older, and seasonal allergy symptoms in patients 2 years and older. CLARINEX® 5 mg Tablets and 5 mg RediTabs® Tablets are approved for patients 12 years and older; CLARINEX® 2.5 mg RediTabs® Tablets are approved for patients 6 to 11 years; CLARINEX® Syrup is approved for patients 6 months and older.
Twice-daily CLARINEX-D® 12 HOUR Extended Release Tablets and once-daily CLARINEX-D® 24 HOUR Extended Release Tablets treat the symptoms of seasonal allergies, including nasal congestion, in patients 12 years and older.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
CLARINEX® Tablets side effects in patients 12 years and older were similar to placebo and included sore throat, dry mouth, and fatigue for seasonal and year-round allergy patients, and headache, nausea, and fatigue for patients with ongoing hives of unknown cause.
CLARINEX® Syrup side effects in children 6 to 11 years were similar to placebo. For children 6 months to 5 years, syrup side effects varied by age and included fever, diarrhea, upper respiratory infection, irritability, and coughing.
Due to their pseudoephedrine component, CLARINEX-D® 12 HOUR Extended Release Tablets and CLARINEX-D® 24 HOUR Extended Release Tablets should not be taken by patients with narrow-angle glaucoma (abnormally high eye pressure), difficulty urinating, severe high blood pressure, or severe heart disease, or by patients who have taken a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor within the past fourteen (14) days. Patients with high blood pressure; diabetes; heart disease; increased intraocular pressure (eye pressure); thyroid, liver or kidney problems; or enlarged prostate should check with their healthcare provider before taking CLARINEX-D® 12 HOUR Extended Release Tablets or CLARINEX-D® 24 HOUR Extended Release Tablets.
Care should be used if CLARINEX-D® 12 HOUR Extended Release Tablets or CLARINEX-D® 24 HOUR Extended Release Tablets are taken with other antihistamines or decongestants because combined effects on the cardiovascular system may be harmful. The most commonly reported adverse events for CLARINEX-D® 12 HOUR Extended Release Tablets were insomnia, headache, dry mouth, fatigue, drowsiness, sore throat, and dizziness. The most commonly reported adverse events for CLARINEX-D® 24 HOUR Extended Release Tablets were dry mouth, headache, insomnia, fatigue, sore throat, and drowsiness.
Click here for important CLARINEX® Tablets/Syrup/RediTabs® Product Information.
Click here for important CLARINEX-D® 12 HOUR Product Information.
Click here for important CLARINEX-D® 24 HOUR Product Information.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Note: The information on this site is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have any questions about your treatment or medical condition, please consult your doctor or other qualified health care provider. This site is intended for use by U.S. residents.
