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Tag: pollen

  • Allergy Relief: What Works, What Doesn’t?

    Allergy Relief: What Works, What Doesn’t?

    While most of us are happy to put winter behind us and enjoy the warm spring weather, there are many people who dread spring because of allergies. Allergy relief can be difficult to find and although there are numerous products and treatments available, not all of them work or have lasting results.

    If you have not found any relief with allergy medications in the past, you may be in luck because the Food And Drug Administration has just approved two new dissolvable pills that may be better at treating allergies and could replace painful and annoying allergy shots. More pills will be approved over the next few months.

    Avoiding the outdoors during times when pollen counts are the highest can also help ease your allergy symptoms. In most areas, pollen counts are the highest between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. There are numerous apps and websites that will tell you how high the pollen count is and what times of day it is at its highest. If you need to be outside, try to do it when pollen counts are low or after it rains.

    Many people are able to find relief with over-the-counter medications like Benadryl, but avoid using the medicine because it makes them drowsy. There are several other medications that do not cause drowsiness but can relieve your allergy symptoms. Look for the letter “D” on the box of antihistamines if you want one that does not cause drowsiness.

    Seasonal allergies can be annoying and frustrating, but just remember you are not alone. Millions of people suffer from allergies and have different ways of dealing with them.

    Try several different medications to determine which one works best for you and avoid the outdoors on high pollen count days.

    Remember, there are plenty of simple ways you can help reduce your allergy symptoms as well. Shut your windows and doors during peak pollen hours, use a fan or air conditioner to help with ventilation, shower often to remove pollen and other allergens from your body and use eye drops and nasal sprays to help prevent your eyes and nose from drying out or becoming itchy.

    Good luck with your battle against seasonal allergies.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Tips For Outsmarting Those Seasonal Allergies

    While many people are anxiously awaiting the end of winter and cold weather, others are dreading the day that spring makes its arrival. Why? Those nasty seasonal allergies!

    The common triggers, pollen and mold, will soon be floating through the air, and allergies will be in full swing. Those who suffer from allergies know that it is not just a simple sneeze that will be affecting their lives. Rather, a myriad of symptoms accompany those sneezes including: airway inflammation, runny nose, itchy and scratchy throat, excessive coughing, and experiencing shortness of breath.

    So, what should you do to outsmart those seasonal allergies? The first step is to know your allergy triggers. If you notice these symptoms around the same time every year, you should probably visit an allergy doctor, known as an allergist.

    “Skin or blood tests for allergies can help pinpoint the seasons where medication may be needed, or if allergies are present at all,” says Dr. Mark Millard, a pulmonologist at Baylor University Medical Center and the Medical Director at the Martha Foster Lung Care Center. “Many of the allergens that increase airway inflammation leading to exercise-triggering are actually indoors: cats, dogs, dust mites and mold can really set the stage for a bad attack outdoors, because of the inflammation set up by daily exposure to these allergens.”

    According to an article How to Treat Seasonal Allergies by Daniel Moore MD, there are many things you can do to avoid pollen exposure.

    •Keep windows closed prevent pollen from drifting into your home.
    •Minimize early morning activity when pollen is usually emitted — between 5-10 a.m.
    •Keep your car windows closed when traveling.
    •Stay indoors when the pollen count is reported to be high, and on windy days when pollen may be present in higher amounts in the air.
    •Take a vacation during the height of the pollen season to a more pollen-free area, such as the beach or sea.
    •Avoid mowing the lawn and freshly cut grass.
    •Machine-dry bedding and clothing. Pollen may collect in laundry if it is hung outside to dry.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons