What Do You Do If Youre Caught Off Guard Without Allergy Medicine
Heres a great, quick remedy treatment you can use in case you find yourself in a situation where you cant take medication or avoid your triggers.
First, check the pollen forecast. Then use nasal saline rinse or irrigation several times throughout the day during the worst of the tree pollen season. The saline irrigation removes pollen particles from the surface of your nasal passages, clears thick or crusted nasal drainage and soothes irritated nasal membranes.
There are a number of studies that found that patients with allergic rhinitis or chronic sinusitis who use regular saline rinses have less bacterial load and require fewer antibiotics. Using a rinse may also reduce your need for medication to control allergies.
You can buy saline rinse or irrigation kits at any drugstore and many grocery stores. These kits usually use a squeeze bottle or gravity to direct saline through the nasal passages. A common squeeze bottle technique is to position your head downward and rotated slightly to the left . Gently squeeze some of the solution into your right nostril the solution will come out through your left nostril. Now repeat on the other side.
Ready or not, tree pollen season is here! If you havent already prepared and expect youll need help this season, be sure to contact us today to schedule an appointment. This is a gorgeous time of year that should not be missed by staying indoors. Dont suffer, were here to help.
Keeping A Record Of Your Symptoms
Keep a diary that describes your symptoms and when and where they occur. Your diary could include information about whether your symptoms occur:
- inside your home, outside or both
- for a short time or longer
- at night, during the day or when you wake up
- at a particular time of the year
- near animals
- after you have been stung or bitten by an insect
- after you have had a particular food or drink
- after you have taken a particular medication, either prescription or over the counter from a pharmacy or supermarket
- after you have taken a herbal medicine.
Try To Figure Out What Your Specific Issue Is
I recommend walking around your bedroom and picturing in your mind exactly what the situation is like first thing in the morning. Take an educated guess on what you think is causing your issues. then proceed and see if you can target the issue and potentially fix your morning allergy problem .
Keep a Diary or Log to Track Morning Allergies
You may be unsure what is exactly causing your morning allergies. I recommend that you keep a notebook handy and write down exactly what is happening each time you have an attack. Here are some questions you might ask :
- Is there a particular smell in the air? Is there a new scent that you never smelled before? Did you recently switch soaps or perfumes?
- Are my allergies only flaring up during a particular season? If your morning allergies only happen in the Spring through the early Fall, the biggest culprit may be pollen. Based on the current season you may be able to pinpoint the exact type of pollen bothering you.
- Were there any recent changes/additions to my bedroom area? Maybe you just got a new pet or someone bought you some new exotic clothes. Sometimes even a slightly different fragr
- Itchy eyes or even itchy ears, nose, or throat
You May Like: Zyrtec Flonase
How Nighttime And Daytime Pollen Levels Can Affect Exposure
If you have seasonal allergies to pollen, the general recommendation from the NIH and other health organizations is to stay indoors during the morning hours of 5 to 10 and save outdoor activities for the late afternoons. High pollen counts are usually associated with the daylight hours when it is warm, and cool evening or nighttime hours are considered lower risk for allergies. However, a 2016 study found that there may be more risk of exposure to pollen at night than previously thought. Researchers looked at pollen concentrations during daytime and nighttime hours for five different allergy-inducing pollen types. The study did confirm that, on average, airborne pollen was more frequently recorded during the daytime. At the same time, it uncovered significantly higher concentrations in the air for certain varieties of allergy-inducing pollen. For example, ragweed pollen was found to be 60% higher during the night than during the day. The FDA, in material it provides about allergy relief, also states that during the ragweed season of late summer and early fall, pollen levels are the highest in the evening hours.
Ragweed Pollen Can Travel Hundreds Of Miles
Ragweed pollen is very light, making it easy for the wind to carry it for miles. In fact, it has been found in the ocean as far as 400 miles away from the coast and two miles up in the air.
Dont let ragweed follow you around. Cover your hair when you go outside or wash it at night to remove pollen. Also have everyone who enters your home leave their shoes at the door.
Don’t Miss: Prescription Drugs Itching
When To See A Doctor
Allergy symptoms in the morning can also disrupt the quality of your sleep at night. See a doctor if youre unable to control allergy symptoms on your own or if you have severe symptoms.
You might need a prescription medication or allergy testing to determine the cause of symptoms and to rule out other problems.
Tips For Reducing Night Time Allergies
You can do several things to help diminish your nighttime and early morning allergies, returning your sleep to a restful state.
There are several cleaning tactics that you can start integrating in your monthly, weekly, and daily routines. If you are allergic to pollen, wash your hair at the end of every day to remove pollen collecting during the day and prevent it from ending up on your pillow. You should also keep your windows closed if possible to keep pollen from coming indoors. Try to wash your bed sheets once a week to remove dust mites, pollen, and pet dander. Between cleaning, using a dust mite cover on your bed can help keep dust mites away from you. Do a deep cleaning of your entire bedroom on a monthly basis, cleaning carpets and wiping down hidden surfaces where mold may be lurking.
Air purifiers are often recommended as a way to remove allergens. Research has shown that multiple interventions, including using an air purifier placed right by the bed in the sleep breathing zone may help reduce their levels. Traditional air filters can trap pollutants on filters, though Molekule air purifiers go beyond simply trapping pollutants to destroying them at the molecular level.
Sleep is an important part of feeling healthy and performing your best. Nighttime allergies can come in the way of restful sleep. By understanding how allergens work and following the tips above, you may find yourself more refreshed in the morning.
Post Tags
Don’t Miss: Is It Safe To Take Expired Allergy Medicine
Avoid Opening Windows Once Spring Hits
It can be hard to resist the allure of a warm spring breeze once the temperature rises, but opening your windows when seasonal allergies are at their peak is like giving pollen an open invitation to invade your living space and cause allergy symptoms. Keeping your windows closed and using an air conditioner with an allergy filter can be an effective way of treating allergies and may help you breathe better, says Dykewicz.
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.
You May Like: Zyrtec Allergic Reactions
How Can I Manage My Fall Allergy Symptoms
Being proactive will help lessen fall allergies. Dr. Ogden recommends staying aware of local pollen counts and limiting your time outdoors on high-allergy days. She also stressed the importance of making an appointment with a board-certified allergy specialist. “This is an efficient way to identify your allergic triggers and optimize your allergy treatment, so you aren’t roaming the pharmacy aisles or ending up in urgent care when you are not feeling well,” Dr. Ogden explained. “This is a key first step in treating allergies effectively!”
Your doctor may suggest taking allergy medicine as a preventive measure. Dr. Jain typically recommends taking a daily, non-sedating antihistamine, such as Zyrtec or Claritin, during peak allergy season, in order to avoid having your symptoms flare up. Other options include nasal sprays. “Steroid nasal sprays such as Flonase are a great option for a controller medication during the fall to reduce inflammation and reduce severity of symptoms,” Dr. Jain told POPSUGAR. You may also need to use an inhaler if fall allergens trigger asthma symptoms.
If you’re still struggling to manage your symptoms, your doctor may recommend other treatment options, such as allergy shots or immunotherapy. Fall allergies are an annoying fact of life, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer! With over-the-counter medication, basic preventative measures, and the help of an allergist, you can go back to enjoying all your favorite outdoor fall activities again.
When To See A Specialist
Did you know that you are not able to sneeze when you are asleep? This means that one of the most important ways of ridding your body from allergens, sneezing, is unavailable while you sleep. This can lead to a worsening of symptoms that will wake you up.
Keeping your sleeping environment, your body, and your sleep clothes clear from allergens certainly cannot hurt you and often is enough to give you a comfortable nights sleep. But, for some, it isnt enough and the only available option is allergy medication.
If your allergies are making it difficult to sleep at night, contact Carolina Asthma and Allergy Center today. Since 1952, Carolina Asthma and Allergy Center has served the Charlotte metropolitan area. Today, the center has 12 offices in and around Charlotte. All the 14 allergists at the center are board certified by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology. To make an appointment at an office near you call 704-372-7900.
Also Check: Allergy Pills Non Drowsy
Seasonal Allergies In Atlanta Are At Their Peek
If you have recurring or worsening allergy symptoms, the culprit may be staring right at you when you look in the mirror, according to a recent FOX News Health article. That is right, you may be the reason your allergies will not go away.
You will be surprised how seemingly harmless routine daily habits or your environment can aggravate allergy symptoms. Knowing what some of these common allergy-causing culprits are will help you minimize allergy flare-ups.
Your Bedroom Is Full Of Dust Mites And Mold
No, its not that pollen levels rise at night. Your allergies might feel worse at night because now youre adding indoor triggers into the mix. A lot of people are allergic to things in their bedrooms, says Dr. Parikh, like dust mites that make their home in your pillows, mattress, or box spring and mold that grows in the walls of older houses or after water damage.
Bedrooms tend to be the most allergenic part of the home, says David Rosenstreich, MD, director of the division of allergy and immunology in the department of medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center in New York. The allergies you get exposed to outside compounded by additional allergens on the inside may make symptoms worse.
Experts recommend revamping your bedroom to rid the space of as many allergens as possible. Ditch carpeting , use dust mite covers for mattresses and box springs, and consider an air purifier, says Dr. Parikh. Sleep with the windows closed to minimize how much pollen makes its way into your sleep sanctuary.
RELATED: 20 Sneaky Spots Where Allergy Triggers Hide
You May Like: Can You Be Allergic To Zyrtec
Why Are Allergies Worse In The Morning
You seem to go through the same routine day after day this time of year. You wake up with congestion, a runny nose, watery eyes and a cough that wont quit. Annoyed, you drag yourself out of bed and straight to the kitchen or bathroom so you can administer your allergy medication.
Within a few hours, you start to feel better. By lunchtime, most of your symptoms have subsided. Once you leave work, you feel pretty good, and youre even better at night. Then you go to sleep and wake up only to do it all over again, suffering with symptoms as your alarm goes off.
Is it just you? Far from it. This isnt a result of your medication wearing off, either. You very well may have worse allergies in the morning than other times of the day.
What Are The Symptoms Of Morning Allergies
Symptoms that often start as soon as you breathe in an allergen include:
- Sneezing over and over again, especially after you wake up in the morning.
- A runny nose.
- A tickle in your throat or coughing caused by post-nasal drip.
- Watery, itchy eyes. This may be allergic pink eye.
- Itchy ears, nose, and throat.
Read Also: Otc Allergy Medicine Comparison
Surprising Things That Make Allergies Worse
If youre a seasonal allergy sufferer , you probably already have a few tricks to avoid triggers, like not running outside when pollen counts are sky-high or keeping the windows closed and blasting the AC. But you may not know about these less obvious factors that can make symptoms worse.
1. Stressful work deadlines. In a 2008 experiment, researchers at Ohio State University College of Medicine found that allergy sufferers had more symptoms. after they took an anxiety-inducing test, compared with when they performed a task that did not make them tense. Stress hormones may stimulate the production of IgE, blood proteins that cause allergic reactions, says study author Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, PhD. If youre under stress, get enough sleep. A sleep deficit can worsen both allergy symptoms and stress, she says.
2. An extra glass of wine with dinner. Alcohol can raise the risk of perennial allergic rhinitis by 3 percent for every additional alcoholic beverage consumed each week, Danish researchers found. One potential reason: Bacteria and yeast in the alcohol produce histamines, chemicals that cause telltale allergy symptoms like stuffy nose and itchy eyes. Avoid alcohol when your symptoms are acting up, says Richard F. Lockey, MD, director of the division of allergy and immunology at the University of South Florida College of Medicine.
Unproven Methods To Test For Allergies
A number of methods claim to test for allergies, but they have not been medically or scientifically proven. They can be costly and could lead to dangerous avoidance of certain foods. The organisation representing allergists recommends that you do not use certain methods to have potential allergies tested. These methods include:
- cytotoxic food testing
- reflexology
- Vega testing.
Always speak with your doctor if you are thinking of using a complementary medicine or therapy to test for allergies.
Also Check: Can You Eat Twix With A Peanut Allergy
Lying Down Worsens Congestion
Gravity is not your friend when it comes to your bedtime allergies. When you lie down, basically everything in your nose starts dripping down your throat, Dr. Parikh explains. Due to the anatomy of the nose and throat, that can lead to more or worse coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing than when youre standing upright, she says.
Propping yourself up with some extra pillows might help ease congestion and post-nasal drip while you sleep.
RELATED: 8 Ways to Get Rid of Post-Nasal Drip
Do You Need To See Your Doctor
You dont need to see a doctor when blurriness goes away after blinking or rubbing your eyes, or when its sporadic with a clear cause.
But you shouldnt ignore unexplained, persistent blurry vision, or vision problems accompanied by other symptoms. Make an appointment with your doctor for a diagnosis.
Blurry vision in the morning could be a sign of a stroke, which is a medical emergency. If youre having a stroke, you may have other symptoms like:
- dizziness
- tingling or numbness on one or both sides of your body
- slurred speech
Similarly, a head injury and concussion before bed might cause blurry vision in the morning. Other symptoms of a concussion include:
- lack of coordination
Also Check: Difference Between Claritin And Zyrtec
Other Causes Of Morning Allergy Symptoms Include:
â Dust that circulates at night due to heating or air conditioning operating
â Going to bed after being exposed to allergens without washing or showering first
â Strong odors and irritants lingering in the air, such as perfumes, cleaning agents, or fireplace smoke, that can cause symptoms you notice when you wake up
Your Pet Sleeps In Your Bed
Another common allergen making things worse in your bedroom? Pet dander that accumulates on your carpet or comforter. Sure, furry friends make for cozy snuggle buddies, but if youre allergic to your pet, sleeping beside each other isnt doing you any favors.
Its always an unpopular suggestion, she says, but Dr. Parikh tells patients to stop allowing their pets in their bed. Keeping the animals out of the bedroom is best. Nobody listens to me, but it helps!
Also Check: Cetirizine Symptoms
