How To Stop Nasal Allergies

Avoid Exposure To Allergens

Whether you have severe or milder allergic reactions, knowing what triggers your allergies is important so you can avoid them. Avoidance is the most effective way to prevent any allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis. Develop an avoidance plan with your doctor thats customized to your age, lifestyle and home environment.

Carefully read food labels and labels of other products that could contain allergens. And be aware that fragrances and dyes can irritate your skin.

How To Prevent Constant Sneezing

You need to understand that it is going to take a few days to clear your symptoms if they are caused by the flu or another infection. To avoid dealing with the hassle caused by constant sneezing, you can take certain steps.

• Move your outdoor workout to dusk.

Save outdoor exercise for the evening. Not only do many people with allergies experience more sneezing and itching in the morning, but many trees release their pollen at first light, and ragweed pollen tends to fly most thickly at middayso stick to end-of-day strolls.

• Change your clothes when you come home.

You already know to leave windows shut and to avoid spending time outdoors on windy, sunny, pollen-infested days, but dont forget that you drag pollen into your home on your clothes and shoes even if you cant see it. Toss soiled clothes in the hamper immediately even better, jump in the shower.

• Make sure your appliances have HEPA filters.

If you dont have a high-efficiency particulate air filter in your vacuum cleaner, you may be making your symptoms worse by stirring up pollen that has settled on your floor and furniture. Using HEPA filters in your air conditioner or heating system can also help ease allergy symptoms. Some experts suggest placing a freestanding air purifier with a HEPA filter in a high-traffic area.

• Change your cars cabin air filter.

It is a good idea to do this yearly. Older filters can blast pollen into your face.

• Take meds at night, not in the morning.

• Know when to break out the drugs.

Use A Saline Sinus Rinse

When allergies cause sinus problems, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology recommend a person rinse their sinuses with saline. This can remove allergens and clear the airways.

The AAAAI recommend the following saline recipe:

• mix 3 teaspoons of salt with 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• add 1 teaspoon of this mixture to 8 ounces of boiled water
• dissolve the mixture in the water then use as a saline rinse

Sinus rinsing devices can be purchased online or from a pharmacy.

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Living With Allergic Rhinitis

Living with the symptoms of allergic rhinitis can affect your daily life. Nasal symptoms can be worse when lying down. This can disturb your ability to sleep well. Fatigue and headaches can affect your ability to function at school and work. There are many medicines and treatments that can help you manage your symptoms. Talk to your doctor as soon as you feel that your symptoms are getting worse or are not easy to control. He or she can help you come up with the right plan to control them so they dont affect your ability to live your normal life.

Dos And Donts For Treating Nasal Allergies

• 22 Feb, 2019

If you suffer from nasal allergies, you are probably looking for relief fromthe sneezing, nasal congestion, and watery or itchy eyes. While your symptomsmay periodically return, even with treatment, you can make living with nasalallergies more bearable. As you search for answers, keep the following dos anddonts in mind.

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Tip #: Make Sure Its Really Allergies

Before you can properly treat allergic rhinitis, its best to determine that your symptoms are actually a reaction to allergens. After all, your nasal congestion could be a sign of a cold or sinus infection. The symptoms for all three of these illnesses are similar, but there are some telltale differences that can help you pinpoint a correct diagnosis.

Colds and sinus infections often cause a runny nose with yellow or green discharge, whereas the mucus from allergies is clear and watery. Additionally, because a cold or sinus infection is caused by bacteria or a virus, youre likely to have a fever with these. With allergies, even a low-grade fever is uncommon. If youre experiencing sinus pressure, bad breath and achy teeth, you likely have a sinus infection.

The duration of your illness can also be a clue as to what you have. Colds and sinus infections typically last two days to two weeks on the other hand, allergies can last anywhere from a couple days to a few months depending on how long youre exposed to an allergen.

What Is An Allergy

An allergy occurs when your body overreacts to a triggerlike pollen or pet danderin the environment that is harmless to most people. The substance that creates the reaction is called an allergen. Just like with other illnesses or conditions, your body goes through a lot internally when it encounters an allergen. The first time you are exposed, your immune system will produce an antibody that binds to the allergen, whether its a pollen or dust molecule. Your cells recognize this allergen as an invader, and white blood cells come to your rescue to defend your body.

This triggers other cells to come rushing in, and when everyone meets up to attack the allergen, you begin to notice symptoms like runny nose, sneezing, or itchy eyes. Unfortunately, once you develop an allergy to a specific trigger, youll experience the same type of response every time you are exposed, year after year.

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Is It Allergies Or A Cold

Sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference between allergies and the common cold. There are more than a hundred strains of cold viruses. Each tends to become widespread at certain times of the year, which is why you may mistake a cold for a seasonal allergy. Allergies occur at the same time every year and last as long as the allergen is in the air . Allergies cause itching of the nose and eyes along with other nasal symptoms. Colds last about one week and have less itching of the nose and eyes.

Tips To Relieve Your Runny Nose Or Nasal Congestion

Got a case of the sniffles? Chances are that your nose is running faster than a waterfall. Or maybe your nose feels all stuffed up, forcing you to breathe out of your mouth. Or worse-both. A runny nose and nasal congestion are both uncomfortable upper respiratory symptoms with their own underlying causes. But once they start, you want relief, fast.

A runny nose is a discharge of mucus from the nostrils. Itâs the result of excess nasal mucus production. The excess nasal mucus leads to watery nasal secretions that flow out of your nostrils or drip down into your throat.

Nasal congestion is due to the inflammation of the linings of the nasal cavity. Swollen nasal passages constrict air flow, making it harder to breathe through your nose. The inflammation also makes it harder to get mucus out of your nose, so you may also have a build-up of thick, dry mucus, as well. It causes you to feel stuffed up, which is why itâs also referred to as a stuffy nose.

The common cold and the flu are often the culprits of a runny nose and/or nasal congestion,1 but they can both also be caused by allergies.

These are not the only symptom of the cold or flu. You may also experience other associated symptoms, like sneezing, coughing, chest congestion, a sore throat, headaches, and body aches.

Find out how to relieve your upper-respiratory symptoms like nasal congestion and runny nose so you can feel better fast.

Drink plenty of fluids.

Avoid liquids like caffeine that can cause dehydration.

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Cleaning Your Nasal Passages

Regularly cleaning your nasal passages with a salt water solution, known as nasal douching or irrigation, can also help by keeping your nose free of irritants.

You can do this by using a solution made with sachets bought from a pharmacy.

Small syringes or pots that often look like small horns or teapots are also available to help flush the solution around the inside of your nose.

To rinse your nose:

• stand over a sink, cup the palm of 1 hand and pour a small amount of the solution into it
• sniff the water into 1 nostril at a time
• repeat this until your nose feels comfortable

While you do this, some solution may pass into your throat through the back of your nose.

The solution is harmless if swallowed, but try to spit out as much of it as possible.

Nasal irrigation can be carried out as often as necessary, but a fresh solution should be made each time.

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What Causes Allergic Rhinitis

When your body comes into contact with an allergen, it releases histamine, which is a natural chemical that defends your body from the allergen. This chemical can cause allergic rhinitis and its symptoms, including a runny nose, sneezing, and itchy eyes.

In addition to tree pollen, other common allergens include:

• grass pollen

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Nasal Allergy Treatment Options

Over-the-counter nasal allergy treatment options are available early everywhere! Yes, there are also prescriptions available however, most patients simply treat themselves.

Pediatrician Dr. Kristen Stuppy has written an excellent post about a wide range of allergy treatments, including medications and non-medications. Check out her post for a great summary of nasal allergy treatment options.

I will discuss the different categories for nasal allergy treatment in greater detail, but I wanted to take a minute to remind you that salt water nasal washes are incredibly helpful!

I explain to my patients that we brush our teeth daily to reduce the number of bacteria in our mouths that are ready to damage our teeth. Brushing our teeth is preventative.

This exact same preventative concept applies to saline nose rinses. Cleansing the nose to reduce the number of allergens, bacteria, and viruses is a great way to prevent inflammation which leads to complications.

Nasal mucus has many protective properties, and one of them is to trap foreign substances. Blowing your nose is helpful at removing these particles, but keep salt water sprays available to get a better clean!

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Nasal Spray Addiction Treatments

Treating nasal spray addiction to natural remedies is becoming more popular. Unfortunately millions of people worldwide suffer from this medical condition. It is important to note that nasal spray addiction is a consequence of using a decongestant nasal spray to relieve the symptoms of a previous sinus condition. Therefore once the nasal spray addiction has been dealt with it may still be necessary to treat the cause of the original sinus condition such as infection or allergies.

Discontinue use Going cold turkey and stopping the use of the decongestant nasal spray can eventually break the dependency. However, this can cause sleep deprivation, anxiety, extreme nasal congestion, etc., and general suffering and misery.

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Alternative And Complementary Medicine

Due to concerns over possible side effects, more people with allergies are looking at ways to address hay fever symptoms naturally. However, it is important to remember that any medication can have side effects, even if its considered natural. Aside from home remedies, options can also include alternative and complimentary medicine. The downside to these treatments can be that theres little supporting evidence to prove that theyre safe or effective. The correct dosing may also be difficult to determine or achieve.

According to the

• honey
• probiotics

Although these alternative treatments are derived from plants and other natural substances, they can possibly interact with medications, as well as cause reactions. Try these with caution, and ask your doctor before use.

Unfortunately, allergic rhinitis itself cant be prevented. Treatment and management are keys to achieving a good quality of life with allergies. Some complications that can arise from hay fever include:

• inability to sleep from symptoms keeping you up at night
• development or worsening of asthma symptoms
• frequent ear infections
• absences from school or work because of reduced productivity
• frequent headaches

Complications can also arise from antihistamine side effects. Most commonly, drowsiness can occur. Other side effects include headache, anxiety, and insomnia. In rare cases, antihistamines can cause gastrointestinal, urinary, and circulatory effects.

It’s Easy To Get The Care You Need

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You cant prevent allergies, but you can avoid exposure to the allergens that set off your allergy symptoms. And you can relieve allergy symptoms through a combination of self-management and doctor-supervised treatments.

Avoiding your allergy triggers pet dander, peanuts, pollen, or whatever else is the starting point of an effective anti-allergy defense. This, of course, requires knowing what youre allergic to.

Self-Management of Allergies

You can buy many allergy medications over-the-counter without a prescription to manage symptoms. These include:

• Antihistamines, which help stop symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose and itchy, watery eyes. They stop the symptom-causing histamines, the chemicals your body sends out in reaction to allergens. Antihistamines are available as pills, liquids and nasal sprays.
• , which open your airways, relieve sinus pressure and reduce swelling in your nose. They are available as pills, liquids and nasal sprays. They should not be used for more than a few days, as overuse can worsen symptoms.
• Saline sprays, rinses and gels, which help soothe and moisturize your nose and remove mucus and crust.
• Steroid nasal sprays, which help lessen nasal congestion and swelling, runny noses and sneezing. These should be used only with your doctors recommendation.

Medications that combine an antihistamine and decongestant also are available.

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Runny Nose From Allergies: Symptoms And Treatment

• Other Causes

Allergies occur when your body overreacts to a harmless substance called an allergen. A runny nose, along with other nasal symptoms such as stuffiness or sneezing, is typically caused by allergic rhinitiscommonly called hay fever. Allergies often worsen during certain seasons or with changes in the weather. Learn more about how allergies cause a runny nose and how to treat it in this article.

How To Stop Post

Technically, this isnt something you want to stop entirely, given that post-nasal drip helps clear out your sinuses. But, if its particularly intense, there are a few things you can do to lighten the flow:

Figure out the source.

Identify what is triggering it and treat the trigger, Dr. Parikh says. So, if its seasonal allergies, visit an allergist and figure out whats causing your symptoms and the best course of treatment. If you suspect you have a sinus infection, talk to your doctor to ensure a proper diagnosis.

Then, consider OTC medications.

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If allergies are the issue, nasal steroids like Flonase or Nasacort and long-acting antihistamines like Allegra, Claritin, Zyrtec, or Xyzal can help, Dr. Parikh says. If you think reflux may be an issue, consider trying OTC stomach acid reducers, like TUMS or Pepcid, when heartburn flares up.

Make some lifestyle changes.

If you suspect acid reflux is behind your issue, Dr. Scangas also recommends doing your best to avoid spicy foods , eat at least two to three hours before bed, and sleep with your head elevated.

However, if these changes do not help or OTC meds dont offer relief, talk to your doctor, who may be able to offer prescription medications if you have a severe form of reflux, known as gastroesophageal reflux disease .

Use a saline nasal rinse.

Post-nasal drip starts in your sinuses, and clearing those out with a sinus rinse can help ease up the onslaught, Dr. Parikh says.

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What Makes You Sneeze

Almost anything that irritates your nose can make you sneeze. Sneezing, also called sternutation, is usually triggered by particles of dust, pollen, animal dander, and the like.

Its also a way for your body to expel unwanted germs, which can irritate your nasal passages and make you want to sneeze.

Like blinking or breathing, sneezing is a semiautonomous reflex. This means that you have some conscious control over it.

You may be able to delay your sneeze long enough to grab a tissue, but stopping it altogether is tricky. Here, well teach you all the tricks:

Identify the cause of your sneezing so that you can treat it accordingly. What makes you sneeze?

Common triggers include:

• black pepper
• common cold viruses

If you think your sneezing is caused by an allergy to something and youre having trouble determining what your allergy triggers are, your doctor can order an allergy test.

What Increases Your Risk

You may be more likely to have allergic rhinitis and other allergies if:

• You have a family history of allergies, especially allergic rhinitis. A child is more likely to have an allergy if both parents have an allergy or have the same type of allergy.
• You are exposed to dust mites, animal dander, or other indoor allergens.
• You are exposed to pollens or molds.

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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.