Does your head feel like it's stuffed with old socks? Do you
feel like you can't stop itching your eyes and is your nose
running like a leaky tap? Don't worry you're not alone. You are
probably one of the 20 million Americans who suffer from hay
fever or seasonal allergic rhinitis. So what could have set off
this allergic reaction? More importantly, how can allergies be
prevented or controlled?
The bad news is that for many people allergy season lasts all
year round. But wait! The good news is that a combination of
preventive medicines, avoidance of allergens and allergy shots
or vaccines can minimize the discomfort from the symptoms of
allergies.
Minimize Exposure
The first step is to
minimize exposure
to the allergens that trigger off your allergies. These
maybe pollen, mold, animal dander. Complete avoidance, although
the best treatment, is an extreme solution and can be quite
difficult to achieve as it may offer only temporary relief. A
person may be sensitive to one allergen but over time may become
sensitive to more such irritants. So the next best thing to do
would be to avoid places where you know that allergen is
present. For e.g. if you're allergic to dogs, stay away from
homes with dogs. Reduce exposure to mold allergens by making
sure your garden is mowed and raked, your bathrooms and
basements are as dry as possible (you could use a dehumidifier),
and control the moisture levels in the house through central
air-conditioning. Of course keeping your house clean will
prevent dust mites, pollen, animal dander and insects from
bothering your allergy prone system. You could try using an
air-purifier to cleanse the air of these contagions. Make your
home a no smoking zone. Avoid using hairsprays and rooms
fresheners as even strong fragrances can set off an attack.
Using Medication
Your doctor may advise you to take an antihistamine. An
antihistamine, like the name suggests is able to counter the
effect of histamine, the chemical that is released by the body
and causes the
allergy symptoms. These drugs have had proven
success in alleviating the common symptoms of an allergic
reaction. You may be given an over the counter or a prescription
decongestant like a nasal spray or drops. These will ease
congestion, swelling, excessive secretions of the nose and
sinus. Alternatively your doctor may recommend prescription
anti-inflammatory steroid drugs if you have severe symptoms.
Allergy shots are also available to help your body cope better
with allergens. Small mounts of allergens are injected into the
body to sensitize it to the allergens and help the body to learn
how to deal with them. more effectively. This mode of treatment
it is also termed as immunotherapy or allergy desensitization.
However, this treatment can take over a year before it shows
results.
About the author:
Logan writes about various topics. This article is free to
re-print as long as nothing is changed, the bio remains, all
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