Pregnancy rhinitis and rhinitis medicamentosa.
OBJECTIVE
To present guidelines for the recognition, management, and referral of pregnancy rhinitis with a goal of improving the quality of the pregnancy experience for women afflicted with this condition.


METHODS
A case study illustrating the presentation of a severe case of pregnancy rhinitis is followed a literature review of etiology, diagnosis, and management strategies.


CONCLUSIONS
Pregnancy rhinitis is a condition of clinical importance that is frequently exacerbated by use of intranasal decongestant sprays. The resulting rhinitis medicamentosa exacerbates the nasal obstruction, with resulting sleep disruptions that negatively impact the experience of pregnancy.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurse practitioners may miss opportunities to provide support, anticipatory guidance, and symptom relief. Anticipatory guidance that stresses the critical necessity of avoiding nasal spray decongestants, environmental modification, use of intranasal saline, moderate exercise, and nasal strips for subjective relief may have the potential to markedly decrease escalation of the condition to a serious disorder.
Rambur
Betty
B
College of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Vermont in Burlington, VT, USA. betty.rambur@uvm.edu
D000328:Adult; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014663:Nasal Decongestants / Q000009:adverse effects; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000139:chemically induced; D009299:Nasal Provocation Tests; D009722:Nurse Practitioners; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D012944:Social Support; D016683:Supine Position
D014663:Nasal Decongestants