Health Solutions Live

During spring, people rush to be outdoors. They jog, they barbeque, they stop to smell the roses. And … they sneeze. Oftentimes a lot.

People who suffer from spring allergies know the drill quite well: itchy, watery eyes, blocked ears, and a plugged up nose that can put a damper on even the best of spring days.

“A lot of times you don’t sleep well at night,” says Giselle Mosnaim, MD, professor of allergy and immunology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. “And if you don’t sleep well at night, you can be tired and irritable the next day.”

About 10 to 30 percent of adults and as many as 40 percent of children suffer from Allergic Rhinitis. People who suffer from a type of allergic rhinitis called hay fever are specifically sensitive to molds and pollen that spread through the air during the different seasons.

If you are allergic to pollen, don’t fret. Experts agree that your allergies are more than treatable. Try these tips:

Be aware of the pollen count

Before taking any medications, check to see if changes to your environment can help your symptoms. As an example, schedule your outdoor activities to when the pollen count is at its lowest. Check your local weather report, most times it will include a pollen count.

During spring, tress will pollinate throughout the day. In the summer the pollen count is at its highest in the late afternoon and early evening, while in the fall the peak times are in the late mornings or early afternoons. The pollinating seasons can also last longer in warmer climates.

If for some reason you are not able to avoid being outdoors during peak pollen times try putting on a mask while mowing the lawn or doing yard work, recommends Rohit Katial, MD, program director of allergy and immunology at National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, CO. Once you are back indoors, try putting on new clothes if you are feeling any allergy symptoms.

Filter the Air

Try closing the windows of your home and car to keep the pollen out. Use your A/C to cleanse the air. If you have a ceiling fan, keep it off during the worst of the season, since the fan will draw in the pollen-rich air from outside.

Define your pet’s living space

Have a pet? Make them an indoor or outdoor pet – one or the other. If your pet is coming in and out of the house all day they can often track pollen indoors.

Rinse out your nose

Nasal salt water, sold over the counter, may also aid in decreasing allergy symptoms. According to Katial, a nasal rinse “washes out stuff that’s deposited there and opens it up.”

Take an Antihistamine

If after changing your lifestyle you still experience the same allergy symptoms, consider a second-generation oral antihistamine, like Claritin or Zyrtec, both sold over the counter. These medications, if taken once per day, can generally work longer and have fewer side effects than first-generation antihistamines.
If you are not able to attain relief from allergy symptoms on your own, it might be time to see a physician. A specialized allergist possesses the best training and knowledge of each of your treatment options, including prescription medications.

Your physician may recommend nasal antihistamines (like Astelin and Patanase,) or an antileukotriene, a class of drugs that acts in different ways than antihistamines and steroids. So far, Singulair is the only medication in this category approved to address allergies.

Prescription eye drops are also available to alleviate red, watery eyes that are caused by allergies.

For some, one antihistamine will have better effects than another. The most important thing is to discover one that alleviates your allergy symptoms without making you sleepy or drowsy.

Seek Treatment for Severe Nasal Congestion

For people suffering from allergies whose main symptom is moderate to moderately severe nasal congestion, a physician might prescribe an intranasal steroid spray like Flonase or Nasonex. According to Andy Nish, MD, Allergist in Gainesville, GA, nasal steroids help to diminish the inflammation in the nose and make it much less sensitive to pollen.

Decongestants like pseudoephedrine (contained in Sudafed) and phenylephrine (contained in Triaminic) could also aid in nasal decongestion and sinus headache relief. Some combination drugs, like Allegra-D and Claritin-D, alleviate nasal congestion and allergy symptoms like itching or sneezing.

Before taking any medication though, make sure to consult with your physician, even for over-the-counter medicine. Certain medications can pose a risk for people who suffer from medical conditions. For example, pseudoephedrine might put people who suffer from elevated blood pressure at a higher risk for heart attacks or strokes.

Have you Considered Allergy Shots?

If you often suffer from allergy symptoms, you might want to ask about allergy shots. They can desensitize a person’s immune system to the allergy-triggering pollen. A treatment can take between three to five years, in which time the person receives gradually increasing doses of allergens.

“Immunotherapy can change your body’s response to grass and weeds, so even after you’ve completed the treatment … there should be long-lasting improvement in your symptoms,” Mosnaim says.

There are some risks tied to allergy shots, including anaphylaxis (in rare cases.) one out of every 200,000 shots has a potentially life-threatening reaction, Nish states.

“You just have to be careful that you go to someone that has a crash cart,” Mosnaim says. “That you have EpiPens [epinephrine injections available in case of an anaphylactic reaction]. That they check your dose carefully.”

REFERENCE: Joanna Broder (2010) Soothe Your Spring Allergies Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/allergies/seasonal-allergies-10/allergy-tips?ecd=wnl_day_050710