An allergic response happens when our physique is available in contact with a substance that’s usually thought of innocent, however our immune system assaults it as if it had been a dangerous germ or virus. These allergy-triggering substances are referred to as allergens.
Some folks have allergic reactions to allergens which can be round all 12 months—comparable to animal dander, meals, mould, mud, and sure medicines. Others are allergic to substances that solely seem at sure occasions of the 12 months—comparable to pollen, grass, and ragweed. Allergy symptoms that solely trigger signs at sure occasions of the 12 months are referred to as seasonal allergy symptoms.
The Sneezin’ Season
Seasonal allergy symptoms (that are often known as hay fever and allergic rhinitis) are often worst within the spring and summer time when vegetation are blooming and there’s a lot extra pollen within the air.
Widespread signs of seasonal allergy symptoms embody:
- Congestion
- Coughing or the necessity to clear the throat
- Darkish circles beneath the eyes
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Itchy eyes, nostril, and throat
- Submit-nasal drip (fluid from the nostril draining into the throat)
- Runny eyes and nostril
- Sneezing
You don’t have to undergo simply since you turned one other web page in your calendar. There are some easy steps you possibly can take to attenuate your publicity to the allergens that set off your signs. For instance, test your native information media or climate stations (TV, radio, newspaper, web websites) to study the present pollen ranges in your space. When the pollen depend is excessive, the next suggestions can assist you forestall allergic reactions.
- Keep indoors on dry, windy days. Attempt to schedule your out of doors actions after a very good rain, which helps clear pollen from the air.
- Each time doable, keep away from mowing the garden or doing different gardening chores. If you need to do these chores your self, put on a face masks whereas doing them.
- Whenever you return inside, take away the garments you had been carrying and take a bathe to clean the pollen out of your pores and skin and hair.
- Don’t dangle garments outdoors to dry.
- Use the air-con in your automobile and residential as a substitute of opening the home windows.
- Use excessive effectivity particulate air (HEPA) filters on compelled air heating and air-con techniques.
- Use a dehumidifier to maintain the air in your house dry.
- Vacuum your flooring regularly to take away pollen that has gotten tracked in from outdoors.
Treating Seasonal Allergy symptoms
Typically taking preventive measures isn’t sufficient, and you’ll want to deal with the allergy signs that you just develop. House therapy is usually all you will have to alleviate your discomfort. For instance, you should use a saltwater nasal wash to flush out the mucous and allergens and open your nasal passages. There are additionally prescription and nonprescription drugs that may relieve among the signs. For instance:
- Antihistamines can assist relieve sneezing, a stuffy or runny nostril, itching, and watery eyes.
- Decongestants can present momentary reduction from nasal stuffiness. These medication are generally used to deal with a extra extreme stuffy nostril.
- Mixture antihistamine and decongestant medicines can present the advantages of each sorts of remedy.
- Corticosteroid nasal sprays can enhance a variety of signs by lowering swelling and mucus within the nasal passageways.
- Cromolyn sodium nasal spray prevents the immune system from releasing the chemical compounds that trigger the signs of seasonal allergy symptoms. It really works greatest when you begin the therapy earlier than you might be uncovered to the allergens that set off your signs.
It’s all the time clever to test together with your physician or London Medicine pharmacist earlier than beginning a brand new remedy to ensure that it’s best for you and that it’ll not have an effect on every other well being circumstances you’ll have or intrude with every other drugs you’re taking. If you realize you’ll have allergy symptoms each spring, fill up early on preventative drugs like antihistamines earlier than you anticipate you will have them. Your pharmacist may also prescribe preventative or therapy drugs for seasonal allergy signs comparable to eye drops, nasal sprays, or oral drugs. Ask us, we’re prepared to assist!
