Allergic rhinitis is a serious problem in modern medicine and public health. Concomitant nasal symptoms, itching, sneezing, nasal congestion with significant intensity during the pollen season or in dust mite allergy significantly reduce patients’ quality of everyday life and their performance at work/school. As a chronic disease, it significantly affects the economic status of patients, their families, the society as well as the healthcare system. According to recent economic studies conducted in the U.S. the annual costs of the treatment of allergic rhinitis are between 2–5 billion dollars. Coexisting diseases such as bronchial asthma consume by far enormous budget resources.

Key words: allergic rhinitis, biopsychosocial problem.