Wednesday, April 23, 2014

How to Relieve Spring Allergies



Spring is finally here - birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and everyone’s allergies are acting up. If you can tell that it’s allergy season by your nose and not by the calendar, then you’re probably in need of some tips to get you through one of the more colorful - and pollen-y - seasons.


Allergies By the Numbers



Approximately 40 million people in the United States have indoor/outdoor allergies, more commonly known as seasonal allergies, hay fever, or, less commonly, “allergic rhinitis” - this is according to James Sublett, MD, FACCAI, who is a clinical professor and section chief of pediatric allergy at the University of Louisville School of Medicine and a managing partner of Family Allergy and Asthma in Louisville, Kentucky. Dr. Sublett explains that “allergies have a strong genetic component”; meaning, if your parents had allergies, you are more likely to have them as well. Allergies are developed when we’re just kids, but for some, they develop in adulthood - this is because exposure to environmental factors effectively “flips a switch,” and thus, some adults will develop allergies they never had before. A good example of us is diesel particulate exposure, which can trigger allergies. The result? Your immune system doesn’t know how to deal with it, and it creates a “runaway response.”


Allergy Triggers



The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America state that the most common allergy triggers are:


  • Pet dander (including rodent dander)
  • Tree, grass, and weed pollen
  • Dust mite and cockroach allergens
  • Mold spores


While seasonal allergies can simply be annoying at times, asthma can be more serious and life-threatening - what’s even worse is that asthma can get triggered by allergies, though most people with allergies will not later develop asthma. However, if you have asthma, and your allergies are out-of-control, you may have more asthma attacks more often, which can be potentially dangerous.


How To Treat Pesky Allergies



Luckily for you, N’ICE compiled a list of ways to treat your allergy symptoms before they get the better of you this Spring:


Start early. Spring pollen comes out to play during spring much earlier than most would think. In many parts of the country, including the eastern seaboard and the Ohio Valley, pollen will begin dancing through the air as soon as the weather gets warm enough for trees to start showcasing their blooms. In the South, some people may even see pollen as early as mid-February, depending on what their winter was like. So, if you take medications to control your allergies, it’s best to start them mid-to-late February - not late March.


Know which OTC meds will help you get by. There are three major kinds of over-the-counter medicine that can help with spring allergies: topical nasal sprays, inhaled corticosteroids, and oral antihistamines or decongestants.


If your allergies are mild, nasal sprays, inhalants, and oral antihistamines are help tremendously - and they’re not addictive. Decongestants are not really recommended for allergies, though many people do use them. However, it should be noted that decongestants were created to treat colds - not allergy woes.


Sucking on cough drops helps, too - and with gluten-and-aspartame-free versions like N’ICE, you don’t have to worry about unnecessary additives causing weight gain or other health problems.


Control Where You Are. Staying indoors on a gorgeous day due to allergies is the worst. But, if you have to go outside for any reason, consider wearing a protective allergy face mask for activities like mowing the lawn, raking leaves, or washing your car. A simple paper mask will do, but many hardware stores carry more hardcore versions, like respirator masks. You may feel silly wearing a mask outdoors when it isn’t Halloween, but it can help relieve your allergies.

These are but a few steps to make sure that your spring allergy season has less sneezing in it. Taking care of yourself, getting plenty of rest, and making sure to know the signs of allergy attacks, will put you well on your way to a happier season.

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