Chronic rhinitis is usually caused by smoking, air pollution, or allergies. It may also result from infections such as syphilis, tuberculosis, rhinoscleroma, rhinosporidiosis, leprosy, leishmaniasis, blastomycosis, and histoplasmosis. These infections destroy soft tissue, cartilage, and bone. Symptoms of chronic rhinitis include blocked nasal passages and a runny nose. When the rhinitis is caused by an infection, discharges of pus and frequent nosebleeds are typical.
Treatment depends on the microorganism identified.
The cause is unknown, although a bacterial infection is probably involved. Crusts form inside the nose, and an offensive odor develops. Treatment is aimed at reducing the crusting and eliminating the odor. Blocking or narrowing the nasal passages, by surgery or with a pad of lamb's wool, reduces the crusting because it decreases airflow, which dries the thinned mucous membrane. Vasomotor rhinitis is chronic rhinitis marked by swollen blood vessels in the mucous membrane of the nose, sneezing, and a runny nose.