Persistent Runny Nose: Causes, Relief & When to See a Doctor

Question
hi mr. borucki,

i'll cut to the chase: my nose runs all year. everyday, all day my nose is running. my nose is running right now. i can't go anywhere without tissue. i once got put out of class for blowing my nose. i blow my nose in one of my professor's classes so much that we have an inside joke that we say i'm allergic to her. i'm 21 now but somehow i didn't notice until my friends started teasing. now that i think about it, its been running like this for at least 10 years. i guess i thought it was normal. i don't think i'm sick but my dad wants me to go to the doctor. do you think its that serious or do some people's noses just run a lot. write back and let me know.

thanx,
maya

Answer
When it runs all the time, it isn't an infection... has to be allergies... there are three basic treatments...

antihistamines like benadryl or non-sedating ones like claritan, clarinex, allegra.  Claritan is now over the counter.

Other option is Singulair- it is an anti-inflammatory originally developed for asthma, but works on the nasal tissue also... it is a prescription pill.

Then the nasal steroid sprays- prescription only, like Nasonex, Flonase.  They work very well in most people.  That is my favorite treatment.

Hope this helps...