Conquering Allergies
Summer heat here in Texas keeps most of us hibernating inside from June to September. There is usually a sigh of relief after that first cold front of the season brings rain and cooler temperatures. However, there is a downside for many. That wonderful rain triggers the start of the fall allergy season.
Many people put up with allergy symptoms such as runny nose, sinus congestion, ear stuffiness/pressure, tickling at the back of their throat and a dry cough. I hear all the time “its not bad” or “doesn’t bother me enough to take medication” or “I take an allergy pill sometimes that sort of helps.” What they don’t realize is that chronic allergies have some significant effects on their health. It can contribute to fatigue/tiredness throughout the day, difficulty sleeping due to the congestion and often increasing their risk for developing viral and bacterial upper respiratory infections.
So, if this sounds like you here are some over-the-counter remedies you can use both as needed and preventatively to keep your allergies under control.
Your best friend – the nasal saline rinse. This is warm water mixed with a salt solution in a squeeze bottle. You then use it to rinse your nostrils, in one side and out the other. This helps to not only remove mucus in your nasal passages, but also get rid of pollen and allergens that trigger your symptoms. You can do this every day, once a week, or even after exposure such as mowing the lawn. You can find when and how often it is beneficial for you.
Intranasal steroid spray, the best preventative treatment. Fluticasone (Flonase) and triamcinolone (Nasacort) are common over the counter intranasal steroid sprays that reduce the inflammation and reactivity that you have to pollen. They take 2-3 days to give you the max benefit so I recommend patients with persistent seasonal allergies start taking a steroid nasal spray once a day in each nostril 1-2 weeks prior to when their allergy symptoms usually start. If you decide to take this daily, make sure to mention it to your primary care physician and make sure there is no health reason that you cannot be on it.
Long-acting antihistamines – common ones are cetirizine (Zyrtec), Fexofenadine (Allegra) and loratadine (Claritin). These are great to use either daily or on an as needed basis. They also help to reduce your reactivity to allergens, but from a different angle. They reduce the release of histamines. Histamines when released causes itching, swelling/puffiness and congestion.
These three tools are the cornerstone to a great allergy prevention and management regimen. I hope this information helps you enjoy the cooler weather without the downside allergies often bring. If you continue to have allergy symptoms reach out to your primary care physician. There are many prescription and non-prescription options that can be added so you can conquer your allergy symptoms!
