To Treat The Root Cause Of Allergies
In addition to using acupuncture points that strengthen your immune system, most often acupuncture treatments also focus on the root cause of your allergy symptoms.
Typically, I assess the lung, spleen and kidney energy systems of the body because an imbalance in one, or often more than one, of these systems is present in allergy sufferers.
If you are someone that burns the candle at both ends, works a lot, and doesnt prioritize rest, you may have a kidney imbalance at play, leaving you susceptible to allergies.
Or, perhaps your diet isnt the best, lacking in sufficient vegetable intake or always eating on the run. In this case your spleen energy system is weak and could be the culprit to your allergy symptoms.
If you get frequent colds or use your voice a lot in your work, your lung system may be compromised and a contributor to your allergy symptoms.
Dont wait until youre already sneezing, coughing, itching your eyes and blowing your nose to get treatment.
Acupuncture can help you treat your symptoms once they start, but if you start your treatments at least one month before allergy season, you can help prevent these symptoms as well.
Otc Medications For Allergies
If these natural remedies and lifestyle changes are not cutting it for you, you may want to try over the counter allergy medicines, including antihistamines like Claritin and Zyrtec. These are what are called second-generation antihistamines, which means they are less likely to cause drowsiness, Mehdizadeh says.
You can also try Benadryl, which is a first-generation antihistamine. Meaning it’s more likely to cause drowsiness and is best to take at night.
Home Remedies For Allergies #12 Dietary Changes
The foods you should be eating more of and the foods youshould be avoiding for allergy relief is extremely crucial. All refined andprocessed foods, especially refined sugary foods and foods that contain yeast , must be avoided. The mainproblem with these foods is they feed the bad bacteria in your digestive systemand supress the growth of good bacteria. All mucous-forming foods should alsobe avoided for obvious reasons. These include all dairy foods , flour products, fried foods and chocolate. Gluten can alsobe a major problem for allergy sufferers so any foods that contain gluten arebest reduced or eliminated altogether.
For the foods to eat more of for allergy relief, its fairlysimple. Plenty of fresh fruit, veggies, herbs, berries, nuts and seeds. In addition to these, dont forget yourcoconut oil every day and be sure to use almond milk or coconut milk as asubstitute for cows milk. And of course, eat and drink plenty of yourprobiotic rich cultured foods and liquids to keep your insides healthy!
Dont Forget About Exercise Either
One of the remedies for allergies that rarely ever gets mentioned is exercise. But research has shown that this wonderful practice helps to alleviate allergies, particularly hay fever, a great deal. Especially in kids!
You May Like: Allergy 10 Mg
Eye Drops And Nasal Sprays
Eye drops and nasal sprays can help relieve itchiness and other allergy-related symptoms for a short time. However, depending on the product, you may need to avoid long-term use.
Like decongestants, overusing certain eye drops and nose drops can also cause a rebound effect.
Corticosteroids can help with inflammation and immune responses. These do not cause a rebound effect. Steroid nasal sprays are commonly recommended as a long-term, useful way to manage allergy symptoms. They are available both over the counter and by prescription.
Talk to your doctor before starting a regimen of any allergy treatment to make sure you are taking the best medications for your symptoms. You doctor can also help you determine which products are made for short-term use and which are designed for long-term management.
Food Allergy: Home Remedy Or Emergency Room
Overview
Food allergies can be deadly, but not all physical reactions to food require a visit to the emergency room. Knowing when to call 911 and when you can treat a reaction with things in your home could save your life, as well as some money.
As many as 15 million Americans have food allergies, according to Food Allergy Research & Education. And these numbers are rising. Between 1997 and 2011, food allergies in children increased by 50 percent, and now they affect one in every 13 kids. Their prevalence is alarming, as are their potential effects.
Recommended Reading: Mucinex D For Allergies
Natural Seasonal Allergy Remedies
Its time to shake off the cold winter weather and welcome spring!
If you have hay fever, a.k.a. seasonal allergies, you may be looking for ways to counter annoying symptoms like an itchy throat, watery eyes, or a runny nose. A common cause of allergies in the spring is the abundance of pollen from flowering plants. Some research suggests as many as 50 million Americans will experience various types of allergies each year.
Allergy medication is helpful when it comes to keeping allergies in check, but for those who are looking to explore alternative options, here are 4 natural seasonal allergy remedies that may help to make your spring better than ever before.
What The Research Shows
One study looking at the effects of exercise on adults with respiratory allergies found participants who took part in winter exercises in moderately cold alpine conditions, such as a four-hour hiking/snowshoeing tour or a day of skiing, experienced diminished allergy symptoms, an improvement in breathing tests, and a decrease in inflammatory allergy markers both the day after exercise and 60 days later.
Recommended Reading: Robitussin Antihistamine
Herbal Remedies For Allergic Rhinitis
We get a lot of questions from patients inquiring about ideas of natural solutions for treating their allergy symptoms. We are devoting this blog to explaining two common types of allergies we most often see at our office in Arizona and share some natural herbal which may help.
Please keep in mind, that we are not giving medical advice in this blog. We cannot properly treat your unique condition or allergy without seeing you or conducting one of our comprehensive allergy tests. We suggest you talk to your doctor.
Boost Your Vitamin C Intake
If you rely upon vitamin therapy to keep other conditions at bay, nothing compares to upping your vitamin C intake to help relieve allergic rhinitis attacks.
This awesome immune system booster is fine as a daily supplement, but filling your diet with colorful fruits and veggies is one of the best and easiest ways to follow a home remedy regimen.
Yes, plenty of vitamin C rich foods dont come in bold colors, but its so much easier to remember that the darker the color, the more your body heals when AR symptoms pop up.
You May Like: Is Clarinex An Antihistamine
But Dont Think Apple Cider Vinegar Will Do The Trick
Sorry to burst your bubble, but there is no evidence from clinical studies to suggest that apple cider vinegar works to treat allergies, Dr. Wright says. Some people believe that mixing one or two tablespoons of ACV in water or some lemon juice and chugging anywhere up to three times a day may help reduce symptoms and break up mucus, but theres no evidence to really support this as a natural remedy for allergies.
So, take a pass on this one and look to the other above remedies for better effects!
All Natural Allergy Relief With Bee Pollen
Bee pollen has grown in popularity, and it’s commonly believed to provide serious allergy relief. This powdery substance is what plants make to reproduce and is collected on the legs and bodies of bees to take back to the hive for food. Some bee pollen contains flower nectar and bee digestive enzymes that provide the human body with essential vitamins and minerals. The pollen grains can be collected from a variety of plants, so the supplement can vary in shape, color, and the level of nutrients it contains. If you decide to take bee pollen for allergies, start with small doses to confirm that it works for you. Some people may have adverse side effects, while others swear that bee pollen is a miracle-working solution to solving allergy symptoms.
Also Check: Can An Allergic Reaction Cause Vomiting
Know And Avoid Your Triggers
It is absolutely simple but the question is how you can find out the triggers of your allergy. Some people even dont know what contributes to their irritating condition. It is until you recognize the causes that you are ready to remove it.
All the above home remedies for allergies are some useful tips to help your deal with some types of allergies. It is recommended that you should know some which are available for you to do at home in case the worst scenario may happen. And one more thing to keep in mind is that if you realize that you cannot control it anymore, it is time to see your doctor without hesitation.
Enjoying Products Made By Local Bees
Some homeopathic enthusiasts believe eating local honey or bee pollen can reduce allergies. The theory is that since bees make honey in the presence of local allergens , you will be exposed to the allergen in small quantities and eventually develop a tolerance, similar to allergy shots.
Unfortunately, the scientific evidence is lacking to draw any conclusions about honey and allergies. While there is not enough evidence to routinely recommend honey as a treatment for allergies, Dr John Leung, an Allergist and Immunologist of Boston Food Allergy Center and Assistant Professor at Tufts University School of Medicine, there is no harm in trying it. The bottom line, its unlikely that honey will help with your allergies but it doesnt hurt to try.
You May Like: Sudden Sesame Allergy
The 4 Best Natural Antihistamines
We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Heres our process.
If you have seasonal allergies, you know they can be challenging. Sneezing, itchy eyes, nasal congestion, and sinus pressure these symptoms can become difficult to tolerate.
Youve likely used many over-the-counter solutions to attempt to lessen these seasonal symptoms and may want to try something else. Theres evidence that completely natural solutions may ease your symptoms.
Whether its called hay fever, allergic rhinitis, or seasonal allergies, numerous drugs both prescription and OTC are available to help combat these cold-like symptoms. But some of these medications have their own lengthy list of side effects.
Understanding how antihistamines work can help you better understand how natural antihistamines can be an ally during allergy season.
Conventional Medication For Hay Fever
The first line of defence for many hay fever sufferers is a group of conventional medicines called antihistamines.
They work by blocking the action of histamine. If you take these medications before contact with pollen, they can stop the release of histamine.
If you take them afterwards, they can reduce the impact of histamine. This can lessen the severity of your symptoms.
There are also compounds found in certain foods that have potential anti-histamine properties that may ease hay fever symptoms, says Emily.
So, if youre unable or prefer not to take conventional hay fever medication for any reason, its worth looking into whether an alternative remedy for hay fever could work for you.
Read Also: Is Fluticasone Over The Counter
No 8 Move To A Fresh Air Location
This is a home remedy, however, in order to incorporate it youll have to literally move your home . Some places in the U.S. have really bad air quality.
In large cities, air quality is usually poor from pollution. Even cities near the ocean can have bad air.
But living in a more rural area doesnt mean better air. I grew up in an agricultural area and the air quality was worse than most large cities.
In Texas people battle seasonal cedar fever, experiencing nose symptoms in the winter. In the South, hot humid summers might cause a boom in dust mite populations and seriously affect people with dust mite allergy.
If youre moving to a new location for a new job look at the air quality, precipitation patterns, humidity, and vegetation to better understand if your symptoms will be affected.
What’s Causing Your Allergies
An allergy is when your immune system reacts to something thats normally harmless to most people. If you come into contact with a substance that your immune system views as a threat, called an allergen, it responds by releasing a chemical called histamine and other substances, says Lakiea Wright, M.D., a Board Certified Physician in Internal Medicine and Allergy and Immunology.
And that’s what feels like trouble to you. Whether your immune system thinks it’s threatened by anything from pollen and mold to animals and food, you might find yourself sneezing, blowing your nose, and rubbing your bloodshot and teary eyes all day long.
If you want some relief in addition to allergy medicationsand in a 2017 survey of allergists, 81 percent said they had patients who did want alternative or natural allergy remediesthere are a few non-drug remedies that may help.
Also Check: Dissolvable Zyrtec
Dietary Changes May Bring Relief
Certain foods can exasperate your allergic reactions, so its wise to take a look at your diet.
You can also take a test to determine which foods youre most sensitive too . But some common munchies tend to increase inflammation no matter your tolerance to them.
For instance, highly processed foods, sugar, caffeine, tobacco, many dairy products, and soy are highly inflammatory.
You can also enjoy probiotic-packed goods, including kefir and kombucha, and include plenty of fresh veggies, especially leafy greens, and lean protein sources. Learning how to cure allergies naturally has to include at least some minor dietary changes.
In addition, cutting back on red meat may help also.
In fact, though, a recent study by the National Institutes of Health found that people with high levels of trans oleic acid in their systems were 3 times more likely to suffer from hay fever.
What About Prescription Treatments
If these approaches aren’t effective, prescription treatments may be the next best steps, including:
- A nasal steroid spray
- Ipratropium nasal spray which inhibits secretions
Other treatments depend on the cause of the post-nasal drip. Antibiotics are not usually helpful, so they aren’t usually prescribed for post-nasal drip . For allergies, dusting and vacuuming often, covering your mattresses and pillowcases, and special air filter can help reduce exposure to allergy triggers.
Recommended Reading: Nondrowsy Allergy Medicine
Do Air Purifiers Work For Allergies
The outdoor air is riddled with toxins and pollutants.
This is especially true if you live in an urban area, and are surrounded by heavy traffic. Simply airing your home wont do you much good if youre just letting in more allergens.
With all the fresh oxygen come the airborne irritants, and you need a system to cleanse your indoor air properly.
To that end, choose the best air purifier for allergies that uses high-quality HEPA filters that will remove all the pollutants, and quietly so, in order not to disrupt your sleep.
You can also introduce various houseplants that are known to increase oxygen levels and reduce indoor pollution.
Some low-maintenance plants such as Spider Plant, Fern or Peace Lily will not only make your home look more serene, but also aid in cleaning the air in your home.
Does Apple Cider Vinegar Work For Postnasal Drip
According to anecdotal evidence, apple cider vinegar can help postnasal drip.
Some people breathe in apple cider vinegar by sniffing the bottle. Others drink diluted apple cider vinegar in tea or warm water. The idea is that the strong odor and taste of apple cider vinegar can loosen mucus.
But theres no evidence that this method works. Apple cider vinegar for postnasal drip has never been studied. Additionally, drinking apple cider vinegar can damage your teeth, especially if its undiluted.
If you want to use this remedy, do so with caution.
In addition to home remedies, you can try over-the-counter treatments. These remedies are available at the drugstore or grocery store without a prescription.
Don’t Miss: Zyrtec Vs Flonase
Ways On How To Treat Allergic Rhinitis Naturally At Home
Allergic rhinitis is one of the common problems which both adults and children can suffer from. Those who suffer from this problem may feel uncomfortable and annoyed. If someone has serious allergic rhinitis, it will drive them crazy. Thus, if it happens to you, what will you do? Do you take some medicine or try using natural remedies at home? Today, VKool will present to you 17 ways on how to treat allergic rhinitis naturally at home. You ought to read and try applying them at your sweet home to say goodbye allergic rhinitis.
Natural Remedies For Allergies: Which Ones Work And Which Dont
Roughly 17.6 million American adults suffer from allergies , yet despite its sweeping effect on the population, there is no cure. As a result, many turn to supposed natural remedies to help heal their symptoms. But how well do they really work?
In regards to complementary therapies, there are some that do have a positive effect on allergies and its treatment and act in a complementary effect, Dr. Leonard Bielory, director of the Rutgers University Allergy and Asthma Associates, told weather.com.
In his own practice, Dr. Bielory uses complementary medicine in addition to other treatments. He tailors his treatments to patients and cautions against using anecdotal advice from the Internet to create your own natural regimen. As with any health remedy — whether its over-the-counter, by prescription or natural — make sure to consult with your doctor before embarking on treatment.
Don’t Miss: Antihistamine Dextromethorphan
Symptoms Of Hay Fever
The symptoms of hay fever separate into two groups:
Some allergy sufferers are more prone to one group of symptoms than another. In addition, if you suffer from asthma, your symptoms can be more severe. For example, you may also experience coughing and wheezing.
