Asthma and rhinitis often go hand in hand.  But, many people with asthma don't mention having rhinitis. Why?

        Doctors looked into this by studying people who use an app called MASK-air®.  The app tracks symptoms and medication use.  They checked data from 27 countries and 35, 251 people between 2015-2022.

        It turns out most people in the study had rhinitis alone, and only 1. 9% reported asthma without rhinitis.  But another 24. 7% had both conditions.  This suggests there might be a lot of people not talking about rhinitis when they have both conditions.

        Those with "asthma alone" usually didn't report needing rhinitis medication.  They also tended to have fewer severe nasal problems.

        The study group found something interesting.  They found three groups among those with "asthma alone. " There were people with bad nasal problems but didn't take medication for rhinitis.  There were also people with no nasal problems.   Some had moderate symptoms and used medication. This suggests people aren't always getting the right treatment for rhinitis if they have asthma.   They may also not be reporting these troubles to their doctors.

        One major issue is that  some of them have bad symptoms but take pain relievers instead.  People do not think their nasal problems are a big deal and do not believe it is important enough to share with their doctors.  They may not even think these symptoms go along with asthma.

        This study shows many people might not be talking about their rhinitis when they have asthma and need treatment.  Not sharing their symptoms might lead to not getting the right care.  People need to think about this because it is important.  If they have asthma, they should talk to their doctor about any nasal problems.  They could be part of this hidden group.

        It is important to share all symptoms with a doctor.  People with asthma need to tell their doctors about any nasal issues.  Doctors should ask about nasal symptoms and make sure that these symptoms are being cared for.  Doctors  need their patients to share everything.  The problem may be more common than we think.

Why Asthma Patients Might Not Report Their Nasal Issues

Actions