Recent studies have discovered links between autoimmune thyroid disease, allergic rhinitis and sleep apnea in patients in Singapore and worldwide. Hashimoto's thyroiditis affects around 16% of patients with allergic rhinitis. People with Graves' illness, on the other hand, are 42.9 per cent more likely to suffer from chronic or recurrent allergic rhinitis.
There have also been associations between autoimmune thyroid disease and other autoimmune disorders that frequently coexist with allergic rhinitis, autoimmune diseases and food allergies.
Diagnosis
It is unknown why persons with allergic rhinitis are more prone to autoimmune thyroid disease. The same goes for the opposite. However, it seems plausible that if you have allergic rhinitis, your doctor would want to check your thyroid levels, especially if you have risk factors for AITDs.
Furthermore, autoimmune illnesses due to sleep apnea in Singapore patients because of either minimal or excessive immune system activity. It also includes well-known ailments like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Other conditions that may alert your doctor are having a family history of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or type 1 diabetes.
Treatment
The most common drugs used to treat allergic rhinitis are antihistamines and decongestants. It is one of the best ways how to clear a blocked nose. These medications may advise that they should not be taken by those who have thyroid illness since they may be more susceptible to side effects like tremors or anxiousness.
Levothyroxine users who are allergic to the drug's components may have symptoms comparable to allergic rhinitis. Antithyroid meds are not known to interact with allergy treatments, making them okay for treating Graves' illness. If you're seeing an endocrinologist and an allergist or an ENT, ensure to inform them of the therapies you are getting.
Dr Gan Eng Cern is an ENT specialist. He was the Chief Rhinologist at Changi General Hospital and studied at St Paul's Sinus Centre in Vancouver, Canada. He currently manages an ENT and sleep clinic in Singapore.
If you have any issues, contact Dr Gan Eng Cern. You can also come to his Singapore clinic for thyroid surgery.
