While many people can take advantage of the great outdoors on a warm spring afternoon, those of us who suffer from seasonal allergies fear that we will spend this time of year sneezing and coughing. In actuality, hay fever, also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis, affects thousands of individuals nationwide. So, if you have symptoms like sneezing, stuffiness, a runny nose, and itching in your nose, mouth, throat, eyes, or ears this allergy season, know that you can get the comfort you need.
It’s challenging to totally eliminate allergens. However, there are certain measures you can take as the season draws near that can make life simpler for you and your entire family.
- If you have a history of springtime allergy flare-ups, begin your treatment regimen before your symptoms appear. Start early with your therapy and discuss your alternatives with your doctor
- Regularly sweep, dust, vacuum, and sanitise your home. Allergens like pollen and grasses can be tracked in by children, animals, and people. Reduce them indoors if you can’t prevent them outdoors
- Utilise over-the-counter allergy medications to find relief. Consult your physician or pharmacist for advice on the safest and most effective therapies for you
- If you need it, get assistance. Your primary care physician can suggest a brief course of anti-inflammatory drugs or other medications if you are unable to manage your allergies with over-the-counter treatments. For more advanced testing and care, your doctor can also recommend an allergist
Asthma and allergies are closely associated because allergens can cause an asthma attack. Asthma and certain allergic responses both have an impact on the lungs and airways. The airways may become constricted and swelled as a result, and mucus may occasionally accumulate. Given that asthma is hereditary, even if you haven’t had symptoms since infancy, they may come back as an adult depending on environmental factors. It’s crucial to consult your doctor if you have wheezing or trouble breathing along with your allergy symptoms. Allergies can cause wheezing, which is a whistling sound you make when you breathe, although asthma is more frequently linked to it.
When you come into contact with a trigger during an asthma attack, the linings of your airways swell and constrict. A person experiencing an episode finds it difficult to breathe because mucus narrows and constricts the airways. Every instance of asthma is unique, and every person reacts differently to numerous triggers. Different allergies are more typical than others. It’s crucial to understand that while you may experience an allergic reaction to anything else, not everything to which you are allergic will result in the onset of asthma symptoms. A skin or blood test may be used by a clinician to identify the allergen(s) causing your allergic asthma.
Asthma cannot be completely cured; it can only be controlled and treated. A skin or blood test can help you pinpoint your triggers, and then you can develop the most effective strategy for managing and treating your symptoms. An asthma attack brought on by allergies can be avoided or controlled by being aware of your triggers. The AFAA offers the following recommendations: patch leaks to prevent mould, wash bedding in hot water, use mattress and pillow covers to guard against dust mites, vacuum pet hair, and wear a mask outside during pollen season. These precautions are taken to avoid pests like cockroaches.
Some people with allergic asthma may benefit from using allergy medicines to prevent or reduce symptoms. If your allergies are really bad, you should talk to your doctor about a treatment plan that could include a prescription for epinephrine. Those with minor allergy symptoms may benefit from several over-the-counter remedies. There are both long-term and short-term ways to treat an asthma attack. Options for the short term aim to relax the muscles that are constricting the airways and improve airflow. Long-term treatments aim to minimise inflammation in the airways, manage it, and make the airways less susceptible to allergies.
A nebulizer or an inhaler can be used to provide drugs for treating asthma. An apparatus known as a nebulizer utilises a mask to turn medicine into a mist that may be absorbed more readily into the lungs. To effectively administer medicines to the lungs, an inhaler, either a metered dose inhaler or a dry powder inhaler, is a medicine-filled canister. No matter which type of allergic asthma you have, it’s always best to keep a rescue inhaler on hand in case you get an unexpected allergen exposure.
