Rhinitis causing the rhinitis. Rhinitis medicamentosa is a form of drug-induced nonallergic rhinitis which is associated with nasal congestion brought on by the use of certain oral medications (primarily sympathomimetic amine and 2-imidazoline derivatives) and topical decongestants (e.g., oxymetazoline, phenylephrine, xylometazoline, and naphazoline nasal sprays) that constrict the blood vessels in the lining of the nose. Chronic rhinitis is a form of atrophy of the mucous membrane and glands of the nose. Chronic form of dryness of the mucous membranes. Chronic rhinitis associated with polyps in the nasal cavity. Most prominent pathological changes observed are nasal airway epithelial metaplasia in which
Nasal cavity blends, via the choanae, into the nasopharynx. The nasal cavity is divided in two by a vertical fin called the nasal septum. On the sides of the nasal cavity are three horizontal outgrowths called nasal conchae (singular "concha") or turbinates. These turbinates disrupt the airflow, directing air toward the olfactory epithelium on the surface of the turbinates and the septum. The vomeronasal organ is located at the back of the septum and has a role in pheromone detection. The nasal cavity is divided into two segments: the respiratory segment and the olfactory segment. There is a rich blood supply to