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How To Deal With Oak Allergies

Diagnosis Of Pollen Allergies

How to deal with seasonal allergies during the COVID-19 pandemic

If you have allergic symptoms that seem to appear at certain times of the year, you should visit your doctor, who will ask some questions about your allergic reactions. You can also discuss your record of your symptoms. To diagnose your allergy, your doctor may refer you to a clinical immunology/allergy specialist.

Clinical immunology/allergy specialists can test for allergies using a number of methods depending on the type of potential allergy. To test for an allergy to pollens, the allergist may use a skin prick test or a blood test for allergies. Information about evidence based allergy testing is available on the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy website.

When Should You See A Doctor

Generally, at-home treatment will improve your sore throat. However, you should see a doctor if you have a severe sore throat and a fever over 101 degrees for more than a week. You have difficulty sleeping because your tonsils and adenoids block your throat or a red rash.

If you dont have a doctor, you can visit any Post Oak ER near you. After you arrive at our ER, our physicians will evaluate your symptoms and prescribe the treatment needed for your scratchy throat.

Each of these steps can help you relieve some of the pain and discomfort caused by an irritated, scratchy throat. These are the most common techniques to soothe a scratchy throat however, not everyone responds to the same treatment. Try some of these remedies and see which works best for you.

Post Oak ER

Causes Of Pollen Allergies

For all allergies, the immune system reacts to specific allergy trigger molecules . Your immune system produces antibodies that detect the allergen and cause inflammatory reactions and the release of a chemical called histamine. Histamine causes hay fever symptoms, such as itchy and watery nose and eyes, and sneezing.

In Victoria, inland areas tend to have higher pollen counts and northerly winds can bring pollens from inland regions to the coastal areas, including Melbourne. In contrast, the east coast of Australia often has less pollen, because winds tend to blow in from the sea and the Great Dividing Range protects the coast from inland winds. In South Australia and Western Australia, levels of pollen in the air vary, depending on wind direction.

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Other Remedies For Poison Oak Itch

  • Take Prescription Steroids

Steroids like prednisone may help ease the itching . However, since this is a prescription medication and a very potent drug, taking it without a doctors consultation is not recommended.

  • Use Calamine Lotion

You can try and use calamine lotion on your rash. Apart from reducing the itching, it can have a cooling effect and help reduce inflammation. You can re-apply this lotion whenever it dries out.

  • Take Oral Antihistamines

Oral consumption of OTC antihistamines such as diphenhydramine or cetirizine may help reduce some of the symptoms. However, topical application of these creams is not advised as they may potentially worsen the situation .

These remedies for poison oak are only meant to provide temporary relief from the symptoms. There is no other option but to let the symptoms run their course. In most cases, poison oak allergies tend to subside by themselves in a week or so, but what if they dont? Read the next section to understand when you need to seek medical assistance.

Treatment Of Pollen Allergies In Dogs

How To Deal With Dog Allergies

Treatment depends largely on your pets individual responses to diagnostic testing, but it may include any or all of the following:

  • Antihistamines
  • Hydrocortisone baths
  • Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is one of the most effective tools we have for the treatment of seasonal allergies in dogs. After identifying the exact allergen using a patch test, an injection is prepared with the allergen and is administered to the patient either weekly or monthly. This desensitizes your pet to the allergen. This treatment has been shown to be very effective, especially in younger dogs.

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Molecular Allergyto Ascertain Birch Pollen Allergy

Whether to ascertain birch pollen allergy before immunotherapy or in the context of food allergies, AVANT GARDE MédicalMD can represent unique expertise in using molecular allergy to further refine the diagnosis of allergy. While some scientific papers suggest that birch pollen allergy immunotherapy can lessen or resolve the corresponding pollen-food syndrome, further studies will be needed before we have an official word from science in this regard.

What Can I Do To Relieve My Pollen Allergy Symptoms

Thankfully, there are several options for relieving pollen allergy symptoms, available both over-the-counter and by prescription. Talk to your doctor or a board-certified allergist about your symptoms and treatment options. Your doctor might have you take a combination of medicines to keep your symptoms controlled. These medicines include:

  • Antihistamines
  • Cromolyn sodium nose spray

If these medicines dont completely relieve your symptoms, your doctor might also give you immunotherapy. This is a long-term treatment that can reduce the severity of your allergic reactions. It usually involves regular shots, tablets or drops you take under the tongue.

You can also take steps to reduce your exposure to tree pollen:

It may be hard to avoid tree pollen during the late winter and spring. But you can reduce your symptoms with the right treatment.

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Oak Allergy Symptoms: Relief Tips & Treatment

Many people across the country have had the pleasant experience of accidentally parking our car under an oak tree. All it takes is a couple hours and your car is now much more yellow and sticky.

Oak is a mainstay in my home state of Texas. We have streets, cities, and even beer named after oak trees. Theyâre part of what make this state so green and beautiful, but they also make it miserable for a great deal people during the spring. Oak and tree allergies in general aren’t limited to Texas, though. People all across the Unites States suffer from tree allergies. Our allergy clinics in Colorado, as well as our allergy clinics in Florida, all have patients who suffer from tree pollen allergies. Let’s take a deeper look into oak and general tree allergies and how to manage them.

How To Tell The Difference Between Texas Cedar Fever And Covid Symptoms

Springtime allergies: How to feel better during oak pollen season

“There’s definitely some overlap,” said Dr. Haley Overstreet of Aspire Allergy & Sinus. She has treated patients who thought it was just their allergies, including cedar fever last season, and it turned out to be COVID-19.

Both allergies and COVID-19 can have nasal congestion, runny nose, lack of smell and taste, and sore throat. Sneezing has been a challenge, Overstreet said, because initially everyone thought sneezing wouldn’t be part of COVID-19, but she has tested patients with severe sneezing and they have been positive for COVID-19.

What COVID-19 typically doesn’t have is itchiness. Itchy eyes, itchy throat and itchy nose are more likely to be allergies than a virus, but sometimes a scratchy throat can be a COVID-19 sign, especially in the omicron variant.

Some symptoms that typically are not allergies but could be a virus include nausea and diarrhea. High fever also is not allergies, Overstreet said.

If you’re not sure, take a COVID-19 test, especially right now because of the the number of cases of the omicron variant in the community.

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Getting your allergies under control is important during times when a lot of virus is circulating in the community .

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Top 9 Natural Allergy Relief Home Remedies

By Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN

According to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America, one in five people, or an estimated 50 million Americans, suffer from some type of allergies. The chances are high that you or someone you know deals with ongoing allergies, whether seasonal allergies, food allergies or another type, and could use allergy relief at least from time to time.

Most people who struggle to find allergy relief go to the doctor to be treated and/or are routinely given pharmaceuticals ranging from acetaminophens to antihistamines, both of which may actually further aggravate the symptoms they were given for. If you prefer not to take prescriptions to keep your symptoms under a control, what can help allergies at home?

Home remedies for allergies including symptoms like congested sinuses, headaches, and watery or itchy eyes include using frankincense essential oil, eucalyptus oil and quercetin. Below youll learn about nine amazing, all-natural home remedies for allergies that can help provide fast allergy relief.

Misconceptions About Tree Pollen Allergies

Most people assume that trees with large or fragrant flowers must be the cause most allergy problems, but actually the opposite is true. Trees with showy flowers have larger, stickier pollen that quickly falls to the ground. As a result, flowering trees depend on insects to carry their pollen. Since these pollen arent blowing in the wind, youre less likely to inhale them and develop allergies to them.

Another common misconception is that you cannot develop seasonal allergies as an adult if you didnt have them as a child. Allergic reactions can come on rapidly and appear even in adulthood. It is also common when people move to new regions and are exposed to allergens they may not have been exposed to where they previously lived.

Also, people believe that there is little to no pollen near the beach but pollen can be airborne and carried for hundreds of miles well into our beach areas. While our beaches do have lower pollen counts, they also have wild grasses and plants that can increase allergic reactions.

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How To Manage Oak Allergies:

There are some steps for dealing with oak tree allergy symptoms:

  • The main thing youll do is take allergy medication before starting your day. Youll already see how this day can make you hopeless, so why not resist it before you start experiencing symptoms? Medicines like antihistamines are the fastest form of help, but it still takes some time before they start taking off.
  • Make sure beyond any doubt that you are changing your dress and, at the very least, washing your face after being outdoors for a considerable amount of time. As we observe, pollen from the oak tree is extremely sticky and moist.
  • The pollen sticks to everything & this also includes the skin and your clothes. This is a fabulous pardon to change into your most comfortable shirt once you get home from work or after you need an extra reason to persuade your kids to shed their stinky clothes.

Stay away from open-air work out within the morning. Keep the early working out inside in case youre stressed around pollen influencing your execution.

When To Seek Medical Help

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If you’re unresponsive to over-the-counter allergy medication or if your allergies cause you to cough or wheeze, you could suffer from more than allergies – which means it’s time to see a doctor. Allergies can turn into asthma or an upper-respiratory illness such as bronchitis or a sinus infection, so it’s important to see an allergist who can assess your symptoms and develop a tailored treatment plan, which includes testing you for food allergies, asthma, and other conditions.

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Pollen Allergy Testing And Treatment

The good news is that you dont have to suffer through tree pollen season. Be sure to contact an allergy and asthma specialist for a formal allergy evaluation, preferably before the season begins or very early in the season. You may already know that you have a seasonal allergy, but do not know just which pollen you are allergic to. Allergists can determine the specific pollens that are causing your problems and can tell you when that pollen is expected to be in the air.

Your allergist will take a detailed history of any reactions youve had, then if indicated, he or she can test for allergies to identify the culprit allergen and determine the best course of treatment.

The most common method of testing for pollen allergies is a simple skin prick test. At our office, we use a very fine stylet that is lightly pressed against the skin. The stylet introduces individual pollens and other allergens to the immune system in your skin. If youre allergic or sensitive to a particular allergen, a small pink raised bump will appear within minutes where the skin prick test was placed.

For some people, a blood test may be the best option to determine your allergic sensitivity. A small amount of your blood is taken and tested to check for antibodies that respond to specific allergens. Depending on your allergy test results, we can offer guidance about the best and most direct course of action for your symptoms.

Here Are 5 Steps To Manage Your Oak Tree Allergy Symptoms:

1) The first thing you can do is to take your allergy medication BEFORE the day starts. You can already see how miserable this day can make you feel so why not combat it before you start feeling the symptoms? Medicine like antihistamines are the quickest form of relief, but they still take a while before they start kicking in.

2) Make sure youâre changing your clothes and at least washing off your face after being outside for a significant amount time. As we all know, oak tree pollen is very sticky. It sticks to everything and this includes your skin and clothes. This is makes an excellent excuse to swap into your comfiest shirt when you get home from work, or when you need an extra reason to convince your kids to get out of stinky clothes.

3) Avoid outdoor exercise in the morning. Keep the early exercising inside if youâre worried about pollen affecting your performance. Itâs best to save outside activities for the late afternoon and evening when pollen levels are lower.

4) Make sure to keep windows in your home and car closed to lower exposure to tree pollen. We know how nice it is to open up your windows and the loot spring breeze into your home, but this is a no-no for allergy sufferers. One of the best ways to reduce allergies is by reducing the amount of time spent around the allergens that cause them.

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What Are The Most Common Allergenic Tree Pollens In The Us

If you live in the United States, the chances are high that you will encounter tree pollen no matter where you reside. Fortunately, many people are only allergic to specific types of tree pollen, and knowing which types of tree pollen you are allergic to can help you reduce your airborne allergen exposure. The most prevalent types of tree pollen producers in the United States are:

Pine Trees

These evergreen trees produce high levels of pollen that are often visible on outdoor surfaces. Contrary to what you might think, pine pollen allergies and Christmas tree allergies are two different things.

According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology , if you have an allergic reaction to your Christmas tree, it is probably triggered by airborne weed pollen that settled on the trees branches during the fall months, rather than by the tree itself.

Oak Trees

Oak tree pollen levels are highest in the morning, so those with oak pollen allergies should reserve outdoor activities until the afternoon or evening. A wide range of oak trees can be found throughout the United States, both in residential areas and in forests. These large trees produce high levels of pollen, meaning that people with oak pollen allergies may have to take extra precautions to limit exposure.

Mulberry Trees

Palm Trees

Natural Dog Allergy Relief

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Omegas, DHA and EPA help support the skins protective barrier.

They also aid in skin moisture retention and respiratory health.

If your dogs skin and lungs are healthy and strong, they have a better defense against allergies.

Natural antioxidants help support a healthy immune system and assist in combating environmental pollutants.

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Treat Your Birch Pollen Allergy With Sublingual Immunotherapy

While anithistamines and topical nasal steroids can help control the symptoms of a seasonal allergy such as birch pollen allergy, these medicines do not interfere with the risk of further allergies or the development of asthma. By starting a few months before the birch pollen allergy season , sublingual immunotherapy represents an attractive solution not only to control symptoms but indeed to change the course of this seasonal allergy. Effective and simple, sublingual immunotherapy adds a welcome option in the treatment of birch pollen allergy.

How Can I Prevent An Allergic Reaction To Pollen

There are actions you can take to reduce allergic reactions to pollen:

  • Limit your outdoor activities when pollen counts are high. This will lessen the amount of pollen allergen you inhale and reduce your symptoms.
  • Keep windows closed during pollen season and use central air conditioning with a CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly® filter attachment. This applies to your home and to any vehicle .
  • Start taking allergy medicine before pollen season begins. Most allergy medicines work best when taken this way. This allows the medicine to prevent your body from releasing histamine and other chemicals that cause your symptoms.
  • Bathe and shampoo your hair daily before going to bed. This will remove pollen from your hair and skin and keep it off your bedding.
  • Wash bedding in hot, soapy water once a week.
  • Wear sunglasses and a hat. This will help keep pollen out of your eyes and off your hair.
  • Limit close contact with pets that spend a lot of time outdoors.
  • Change and wash clothes worn during outdoor activities.
  • Dry your clothes in a clothes dryer, not on an outdoor line.

Look for this mark to find products proven more suitable for people with asthma and allergies. Find CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly® products on our Certification program website.

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