Living With & Managing Allergies
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To manage your allergies, stop pollen from entering your home by following these simple tips:
- Use the dryer rather than outdoor clothing lines for laundry such as bedding and towels.
- While a nice cross-draft could lower the power bill, those open windows are inviting pollen in. Try to keep the windows closed and just use the fans in your home.
- Wipe down countertops and surfaces on a daily basis to get rid of any pollen that did come in, and prevent it from building up.
- Give pets a good brushing and wipe down before bringing them back inside.
Also, when driving, do not ride with the windows down, and wear sunglasses to keep pollen out of your eyes. After being outdoors, immediately take a shower and wash your hair to get all the pollen off of you and to keep it from settling into your house.
You can also take over-the-counter medication such as Allegra, Benadryl, Claritin or Zyrtec. If these don’t work, talk to your primary care doctor about other treatment options for your allergies.
This content originally appeared on StoneCrest Family Physician's Blog.
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Allergies cannot be cured. But depending on what a person is allergic to, he or she can often find relief by avoiding the allergen, taking prescription or over-the-counter medications or getting allergy shots.
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Moving will not alleviate seasonal allergies. People who are allergic to pollen are often sensitive to other substances. Moving may relieve symptoms of one allergy, only to stimulate a reaction to another allergen, so moving is generally not recommended.
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Following are some questions to ask your healthcare provider about your allergies:
- Could an underlying medical condition cause my allergic symptoms?
- Do I have any medical conditions that might limit my use of over-the-counter medications?
- What are the side effects of the medications or treatments you're recommending? Will they interact with any other medications I'm taking?
- How will you monitor my treatment? How long will it take to work?
- Is my condition potentially dangerous? When should I seek professional medical care after an allergic reaction?
- Where are some of the unexpected places I might encounter the substance I'm allergic to?
- Should I be tested for allergy shots?
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Here are five lifestyle factors that you may not be aware of that can make allergy symptoms, like sniffling, sneezing and watery eyes, worse.
- Bringing fruits, vegetables and household plants home. Fruits and veggies are thought of as being good for you, but considering that pollen and other plant-derived allergens are what cause seasonal allergies, it makes sense that bringing plants, ferns and flowers into your house could aggravate your sinuses. When it comes to household plants, ficus, yucca, ivy, palm, orchids and ferns are the most common causes of flare-ups.
- Not following doctor's orders. If you've been prescribed a medication for severe allergies, it's best to take it exactly as your doctor directs. Putting off starting your medication until late in the season when symptoms are in full swing or switching drugs or doses on your own may not produce the results you need, not to mention inadvertently putting more chemicals in your system than necessary.
- Having that evening cocktail. This is one trigger that you may not want to hear about, but drinks like beer and wine contain bacteria and yeast, microorganisms that produce histamines, which are known allergy triggers. Studies have shown that wine has the most profound effect, especially in women. Red wine has 20 percent to 200 percent more histamines than white wine. Further, pickled or yeast-containing foods, like cheese, bread or cider, can have a similar effect on allergy symptoms.
- Washing your laundry in cold water. Doing all of your laundry in cold water may leave behind dust mites or other allergens in your sheets, clothes and towels. You don’t have to do the entire wash on the hot cycle, but it may be best for items like bedding that tend to collect particles or for times when your allergy symptoms are at their worst. If you don't want to set your water temperature as high as 130°F, which kills dust mite eggs, you may alternatively use the hottest dryer setting.
- Hanging out with smokers. While cigarettes are a known trigger for people with sensitive sinuses or respiratory issues, you may also want to avoid hanging out very long with the people who smoke them. The harmful particles in tobacco smoke tend to stick to hair and clothing—hence the ever-present odor that smokers tend to carry—where they can be breathed in by you.
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Whether you can take allergy medications during pregnancy and breast-feeding is between you and your healthcare provider and should be thoroughly discussed with him or her, preferably prior to getting pregnant. Generally, during the first trimester, when the fetal organs and tissues are being formed, healthcare providers worry about the potential effects of medications. However, after the first trimester, most medications that might be considered safe for a young child should be safe for you to take. Generally, this includes topical nasal steroids, such as budesonide (Rhinocort AQ) and some antihistamines, such as loratadine. In addition, decongestants like pseudoephedrine are generally considered safe during the second and third trimesters, but do not use decongestants in the first trimester. Careful use of decongestant nasal sprays should also be fine. Watch out, however, for traditional sedating antihistamines that can cause drowsiness in the fetus. And make sure you check with your healthcare provider before taking any over-the-counter medication during pregnancy. This advice also holds true during the breast-feeding period.
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Every spring, millions of Americans dread the trip to the park, the playground, or participating in any of the myriad outdoor activities that trigger outdoor allergy symptoms.
This season can be especially trying for children who suffer from allergies, as they and their parents struggle to participate in outdoor activities without triggering the sneezing, runny nose, eye irritation, or in some cases, asthma symptoms and hives that may occur.
Grass and tree pollen, barbecue smoke, food allergies and even a typical bee sting can cause these reactions. Dr. Ronit Herzog, a pediatric allergy immunologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, offers the following strategies to help parents of allergy sufferers survive the winds of spring and summer:
- Stay in an air-conditioned space. If you are allergic to pollen it is recommended to run the air conditioner as much as possible during the warm-weather months, because it can filter out large, airborne pollen particles. Remember to keep your windows closed and your air conditioner clean.
- Cut back on morning activities. Pollen counts are usually highest in the early to mid-morning hours between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m., so minimizing early morning activities may help you get a jump start on a symptom-free day. Shower and shampoo after playing or working outside.
- Avoid stinging insects. If you are allergic to bees you should avoid wearing brightly colored clothing, flower prints, or perfumes and lotions with flowery scents. Always wear shoes when walking in the grass, cover your body as much as possible when working outside, and don't forget to carry medication in case of an emergency.
- Take medications. Eye drops, nose spray, and non-sedating antihistamine can relieve symptoms temporarily, and taking it an hour before exposure can decrease symptom severity.
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Allergies are most easily maintained by avoiding or limiting exposure to known allergens and triggers. If you're allergic to dust, keep your house as dust-free as possible by removing items that collect dust and vacuuming often. If you're allergic to mangos, avoid eating or handling mangos. You can manage symptoms by taking daily medications such as antihistamines.
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Seasonal allergies are brutal on the body's ability to stay hydrated. Drink lots of water to flush your system and support the elimination of the foreign irritants in your system. Hydrating also thins out mucus and supports sinus drainage. Sinus congestion also leads to dry mouth and the decrease in the presence of protective saliva. This can lead to an increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Avoid beverages that contain alcohol or caffeine as they are dehydrating. The goal is to drink 8 (6-8 oz) glasses of water per day.
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