Get A New Furnace Filter
Oftentimes we can reduce our allergies with the smallest of changes. Take furnace filters for example. Allergy-friendly furnace filters will capture swirling pollen particles floating through the air using an electric charge or a pleated design. Just run your furnace fan on low to keep the air circulating so you can nab that pollen and swap for a new filter every 3-months.
Home Remedies For Seasonal Allergies
Simple lifestyle adjustments can go a long way toward alleviating seasonal allergies and improving your health. Of course, it also helps to see a medical provider who can talk to you about your health care options, including prescription medication, allergy shots, or decongestants to help you get some sleep. At K Health, we offer immediate access to doctors who can diagnose your allergies and develop a treatment plan for youall for the fixed rate of $23 per session or $9 per month for continued care.
Along with seeking medical advice, try these at-home options to cure your seasonal allergies:
Ten Ways To Control Allergies Without Medication
The best way to control allergies without medication is to avoid them altogether, but thats not always possible, or realistic. Some allergens like pollen are tiny, which means they can travel long distances and cover a lot of ground, surfaces, skin and hair. So, unless you have severe allergy symptoms that require medication, there are a lot of ways you can alleviate your symptoms and get back to doing the things you love, including:
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Make Herbal Tea At Home For Allergies
Sipping on a cup of hot herbal tea that trickles down the painful and irritated throat leaving behind a trail of comfort and warmth behind it, is pure bliss for the victims of seasonal or chronic allergies. Herbal tea consists of several different components. You can either blend all the components into one or combine a few depending upon the symptoms of your allergy. Check out the components or herbs for allergies that go into the preparation of herbal teas.
A Clean Sweep At Night
Since pollen and the like can hitch a ride on your clothes, be sure to remove your shoes as soon as you enter your home to avoid tracking allergens throughout the house, and change your clothes as soon as possible especially after being out in nature or doing yard work. Allergens can also cling to hair and skin, so bathe at night to avoid bringing them to bed with you and sleeping with the enemy.
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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.
Use These 8 Effective Herbs For Treating Allergies
If you are a victim of seasonal allergic reactions, then the Spring season is perhaps the least romantic of all seasons for you, what with flower pollen, dry autumn leaves, ragweed, and grassy particles floating in the air we breathe. Seasonal allergy is but a byproduct of the first world lifestyle that is prone to excessive cleanliness and overuse of antibiotic agents. However, seasonal allergies hit the poorer strata of society as well in the form of environmental pollution and dietary deficiency.
So what can you do for the prevention and cure of allergies? Well, for starters, you can stay at home when the day is particularly windy to avoid the inhalation of pollen. Try not to go out during office hours when the streets are jammed with traffic and the air is heavy with pollution. However, the best thing that you can do is embrace the goodness and medicinal benefits of herbs for allergies. Check out the names and properties of the different herbs for allergies right here.
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What Is Happening During Allergy Attacks
A grain of pollen enters our nasal passages and latch onto mucous membranes, which line the bronchial and nasal passages. In mucous membranes, there are also immune cells loaded with histamines, and with receptors sitting on top of these cells. When an allergy starts , mast cells are alerted and they start releasing histamine and other chemicals, while those, in turn , set a series of reactions that are to help the body get rid of the intruder, which means, we start sneezing, and have watery and itchy eyes. Those people who have asthma may suffer from swelling in the bronchial tubes, which makes it difficult to breathe.
Ragweed is the main contributor to outdoor allergies. One plant can produce one billion pollen grains per season and this plant can be found in vacant lots and in open fields along the road, which makes it even more dangerous.
In some cases, and some countries, other plants, such as curly dock, goldenrod, pigweed and sagebrush can cause allergies as well.
During autumn months, mold is another contributor to allergic reactions. Outdoor molds grow on leaves and grass and thrive in moisture.
What Are Seasonal Allergies
Allergic rhinitis is the medical term for hay fever and seasonal allergies, which affects the nasal passageways. This condition is characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells within the mucosa and submucosa.
What months are allergy season? The time of the year that someone suffers from hay fever depends on the persons specific triggers. Allergic rhinitis can occur not just in the spring, but throughout the summer and into the fall depending on the person.
While hay fever frequently begins at a young age, it can strike anyone at any time. Sometimes seasonal allergy symptoms fade over the years, only to reoccur later in life.
If you experience allergic rhinitis one location and move to a new area with different types of flora, your symptoms may go away or possibly get worse.
Pollen is one of the main causes of seasonal asthma. Every tree, flower and weed releases pollen, but not all individuals have heightened sensitivity or allergic reactions to all types of pollens.
Its important to pay attention and recognize which things specifically trigger your hay fever symptoms. For some people, cottonwood trees and ragweed are the problems, while others struggle with grass.
Research indicates nearly 75 percent of people in the United States who suffer from seasonal allergies are allergic to ragweed. Unlike grass, trees and flowers that produce pollen in the spring and summer, pollen due to ragweed is often highest during the fall.
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How To Treat Fall Allergies
Are you excited for fall? Most of us love the vibrant colors of this beautiful season. Its a time to get out our cozy sweaters, sip a cup of hot tea, enjoy the crisp fall air, and sadly for some people, sneeze a lot. Yes, unfortunately, many of us experience watery eyes, sinus pain and other allergy symptoms once fall arrives. This annoying phenomenon occurs even though you made it through spring without sneezing.
Thats because, even though the symptoms of fall and spring allergies are the same, the triggers are different. So its definitely possible to enjoy one season allergy-free but suffer through the other. Because there are more culprits to blame for fall allergies, many people experience adverse effects.
The two most common fall allergens are leaf mold and ragweed.
What Is Ragweed?
As the name suggests, it is a weed. It is easy to spot because of the tiny, bright yellow flowers that grace the top of the green leafy plant which grows about 2-3 feet tall. Ragweed season gets going in August, but can carry all the way through October. Some experts feel that allergy season is becoming longer and more severe due to climate change. After all, warmer temperatures will prolong pollen production.
What is Leaf Mold?
The good news is that fall allergies can be treated naturally. In fact, new research in immunotherapy and nutrition makes it easier than ever to get through autumn sneeze-free.
Allergic Rhinitis In Children
Children can develop allergic rhinitis too, and it typically appears before the age of 10. If you notice that your child develops cold-like symptoms at the same time each year, they probably have seasonal allergic rhinitis.
The symptoms in children are similar to those in adults. Children usually develop watery, bloodshot eyes, which is called allergic conjunctivitis. If you notice wheezing or shortness of breath in addition to other symptoms, your child may have also developed asthma.
If you believe your child has allergies, see your doctor. Its important to receive the correct diagnosis and treatment.
If your child does have significant seasonal allergies, limit your childs exposure to allergens by keeping them inside when pollen counts are high. Washing their clothes and sheets frequently during allergy season and vacuuming regularly may also be useful. Many different treatments are available to help your childs allergies. However, some medications can cause side effects, even in small doses. Always talk to your doctor before treating your child with any over-the-counter allergy medication.
The best way to prevent allergy symptoms is to manage your allergies before your body has a chance to respond to substances adversely. Consider the following preventive measures for the particular allergens youre sensitive to:
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What Are The Best Treatments For Fall Allergies
- Antihistamine eye drops, pills, and nasal sprays. These are usually an effective treatment option for eye and nose symptoms, with nasal steroids and nasal antihistamines often being the most effective.
- Nasal corticosteroids. These reduce swelling in the nose to target symptoms like congestion. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America calls these “the most effective medicines for nasal allergies.”
- Prescription inhalers. If youre dealing with allergic asthma, its worthwhile to visit an allergist who can potentially prescribe an inhaler to help with symptom relief.
- Prescription creams. If you have a skin rash or itchiness, there are various topical OTC and Rx corticosteroid creams available that can treat the rashes based on how severe your symptoms are.
- Allergen immunotherapy. This is the best way to reduce allergies over time and minimize symptoms by making you less allergic. Allergen immunotherapy involves exposing yourself to larger amounts of an allergen to desensitize or train your immune system to stop being allergic over time, says Dr. Parikh. These are done via injection or tablets that are placed under the tongue. Your doctor can help you determine if this is a good option for you.
Dr. Parikh recommends avoiding oxymetazoline treatments such as Afrin because they could start a cycle of congestion, basically making you more congested later, as well as cause other side effects.
Risks And Side Effects
While most of the supplements and tips described above can provide natural allergy relief safely, there are some precautions to keep in mind.
When allergies are mild or moderate, they are usually not very threatening and go away with time. However, severe allergic reactions can be dangerous and require medical attention.
Anaphylaxis is the term for a severe allergic reaction, which can happen due to contact with food allergens, drugs/medications or insect stings. Symptoms usually affect the lungs, blood vessels or heart and can include:
- trouble breathing
- rash
- vomiting
If you or your child experience these symptoms, head to your doctor or the emergency room right away to prevent complications.
What can you do for severe allergies? Your doctor may need to prescribe allergy shots or prescription asthma medications, such as bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids.
Discuss these options with your health care provider, and consider trying the natural allergy relief remedies described above in addition to using medications.
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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.
How Are Fall Allergies Diagnosed
Its important to seek out a board-certified allergist not just to ensure youre taking the right approach in terms of treatment, but also so they can perform allergy testing to confirm what exactly youre allergic to and to rule out other potential illnesses. An allergist can also prescribe prescription medications if over-the-counter treatments havent proven to be effective enough.
A board-certified allergist will likely do either a skin prick test or standard blood test called an IgE test to detect antibodies for individual allergens. Your doctor may also do a breathing test to determine if your cough is due to asthma versus a post-nasal drip, or from some other cause.
Make sure your allergist is a board-certified allergy and immunology physician, as many unreliable tests exist and you don’t want to be diagnosed as allergic if youre not, says Dr. Parikh. You want to make sure you’re getting treated for the right condition, of course.
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What Can You Do
If you suffer from fall allergies, you need to take measures to protect yourself, not ignore it.
- Pollen is most often released in the morning thus you need to be cautious on windy days and in the morning and keep your window closed.
- You should also avoid using window fans because though them the pollen can be pulled indoors.
- Do not hang your clothes outside instead, dry it in the dryer.
- Do not drive with your window open, and use the air condition if necessary.
- Shower frequently to remove pollen from your skin and hair.
- Limit your time outdoors when pollen counts are highest and use a face mask if you need to, especially on windy days.
The 4 Best Natural Antihistamines
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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.
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Visit A Sinus Specialist In Detroit
If all else fails, schedule an appointment with your local sinus specialist or ENT doctor. Detroit Sinus Center offers a variety of sinus treatments ranging from prescription medications to non-invasive surgeries. Well help you through allergy season so you can breathe easy once again. Contact us today to schedule your appointment with our sinus specialists in Detroit!
Fall Allergies These Are Natural Ways To Fight Them
With summer fading away, hot humid days are changing, and with crisp and cold nights, allergies, as bad as those experienced in the spring, are testing your immune system once again, as every year.
Certainly, the spring isnt the only allergy-prone season but seems like the fall is somewhat worse, due to climate changes .
The first symptoms of fall allergies, such as nasal cognition, sinus pain, sniffing, itchy red eyes and sneezing, are very often the signals to the millions of people who are going to suffer from it to be prepared.
Allergens, such as ragweed pollen, can provoke numbers of allergic reactions. While you might be running to the drug store for some allergy medications , the good thing is that many natural remedies can work effectively and combat allergies. Specific food and vitamins can help prevent these irritating allergies.
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