Treatment FAQ

what is the treatment for pollen allergy

by Dr. Joan Collins Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Recommended treatment for pollen allergies includes: over-the-counter and prescription antihistamines such as Allegra, Benadryl, or Clarinex; decongestants like Sudafed; nasal steroids like Beconase, Flonase, or Veramyst; and drugs that combine antihistamines and decongestants like Allegra-D, Claritin-D, or Zyrtec-D.Feb 18, 2009

What are some home remedies for pollen allergies?

Apr 13, 2022 · Ask your doctor about year-round treatment — it could stave off sickness, too. That’s because if you have allergies, your airways are more reactive to viral illnesses, research suggests. Suppressing allergic flare-ups may improve your overall immunity, potentially helping keeping your defenses up to fight off colds and flu. 5.

What are the side effects of pollen allergies?

Jun 26, 2018 · Treatments for pollen allergies include: Over-the-counter antihistamine medications, such as cetirizine (Zyrtec) or loratadine (Claritin). A person should start taking these medications a few ...

What is the best medicine for allergies?

Recommended treatment for pollen allergies includes: over-the-counter and prescription antihistamines such as Allegra, Benadryl, or Clarinex; decongestants like …

How to treat pollen allergies?

Aug 04, 2020 · Allergy treatments include: Allergen avoidance. Your doctor will help you take steps to identify and avoid your allergy triggers. This is generally... Medications. Depending on your allergy, medications can help reduce your immune system reaction and ease symptoms. Your... Immunotherapy. For severe ...

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How do you treat pollen allergies naturally?

The good news is there are many natural remedies you can try to control your allergy symptoms:Cleanse your nose. Pollens adhere to our mucus membranes. ... Manage stress. ... Try acupuncture. ... Explore herbal remedies. ... Consider apple cider vinegar. ... Visit a chiropractor. ... Detox the body. ... Take probiotics.More items...

How long does pollen allergy last?

Allergies occur at the same time every year and last as long as the allergen is in the air (usually 2-3 weeks per allergen).

How do you stop pollen allergies immediately?

Try an over-the-counter remedyOral antihistamines. Antihistamines can help relieve sneezing, itching, a runny nose and watery eyes. ... Decongestants. Oral decongestants such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, Afrinol, others) can provide temporary relief from nasal stuffiness. ... Nasal spray. ... Combination medications.

Will there be a cure for pollen allergies?

Can Allergies Be Cured? You can't cure allergies, but you can treat and control the symptoms. It may take a little work. You'll need to make a few changes to your surroundings or figure out how to stay away from things that trigger allergy attacks.Nov 11, 2021

What season do allergies start?

When is allergy season? It starts in the spring and continues until the fall, but different allergens, the substances that trigger allergies, appear at different times. March and April: As spring begins, tree pollen is the top allergen, followed by weeds and grasses.

What are the symptoms of pollen allergies?

What Are the Symptoms of Pollen Allergy?Runny nose (also known as rhinorrhea – this is typically a clear, thin nasal discharge)Stuffy nose (due to blockage or nasal congestion – one of the most common and troublesome symptoms)Sneezing.Itchy nose, eyes, ears, and mouth.Red and watery eyes.Swelling around the eyes.

Does vitamin C help with allergies?

A potent antioxidant, vitamin C protects your cells from damage, reduces the severity of allergic reactions and helps your body to fight infections. When taken during allergy season, vitamin C can slow down the overreaction of your body to environmental triggers by decreasing your body's histamine production.Jun 17, 2020

Which is best medicine for allergy?

Best Overall: Allegra Antihistamine Tablets at Amazon.Best Prescription-Strength: Zyrtec Allergy Medicine Tablets at Amazon.Best for Kids: Zyrtec 24 Hr Children's Allergy Syrup at Amazon.Best Non-Drowsy: Claritin 24-Hour Allergy Reditabs at Amazon.Best Nasal Spray: ... Best All-Day Relief: ... Best Eye Drops: ... Best Natural:More items...•Mar 17, 2022

What is the best home remedy for allergies?

Home remedies for allergiesSaline nasal irrigation.Air filters. Consider using an air filter in your indoor environments. ... Butterbur.Bromelain. Bromelain is an enzyme found in papaya and pineapple. ... Acupuncture.Probiotics.Honey. ... Air conditioners and dehumidifiers.More items...•Jul 11, 2018

How long does it take to get an allergy shot?

Over time, your body builds up a resistance to them. The shots are a long-term commitment, likely taking 3 to 5 years. After that, your doctor will see if you still need them.

What is the best treatment for rhinitis?

These are drugs you spray into your nose. They are the first choice of treatment for allergic rhinitis. They relieve congestion, a runny or itchy nose, sneezing, and other symptoms. Nasal steroids are often the first treatment doctors recommend.

What is the best medication for a swollen ear?

Some over-the-counter pills can fight your symptoms for longer. Be careful, as they can also make you drowsy: 1 Cetirizine (Zyrtec) 2 Fexofenadine (Allegra) 3 Levocetirizine (Xyzal) 4 Loratadine (Alavert, Claritin)

What is nasal spray?

Cromolyn sodium (NasalCrom) is a nasal spray that keeps certain cells in the body called mast cells from releasing chemicals that cause allergy symptoms. It's available without a prescription and helps a runny/itchy nose, sneezing, and congestion.

What is the best medicine for a runny nose?

Nasal ipratropium is a prescription nasal spray that can help if you have a runny nose because of your allergies. Some products include more than one kind of drug. Allegra-D, Claritin-D, and Zyrtec-D have both an antihistamine and the decongestant pseudoephedrine. Allergy Shots and Other Immunotherapy.

How long does it take for steroid to work?

It’s best to start using them before pollen season begins and to keep taking them as long as it lasts. It may take up to a week before your symptoms get better. Steroids you take by mouth (oral steroids) are only used in rare cases to treat nasal allergies.

Can decongestants cause heart problems?

Remember that decongestants can also cause problems, including increased heart rate and blood pressure. If you have heart problems or high blood pressure, you shouldn’t take them. If you have a prostate problem that makes it hard to urinate, these drugs can make it worse.

How to reduce pollen allergy?

There are actions you can take to reduce allergic reactions to pollen: 1 Limit your outdoor activities when pollen counts are high. This will lessen the amount of pollen allergen you inhale and reduce your symptoms. 2 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 (car, bus, train, etc.). 3 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. 4 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. 5 Wash bedding in hot, soapy water once a week. 6 Wear sunglasses and a hat. This will help keep pollen out of your eyes and off your hair. 7 Limit close contact with pets that spend a lot of time outdoors. 8 Change and wash clothes worn during outdoor activities. 9 Dry your clothes in a clothes dryer, not on an outdoor line.

How to keep pollen out of your eyes?

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.

Why do plants produce pollen?

Most of the pollens that cause allergic reactions come from trees, weeds and grasses. These plants make small, light and dry pollen grains that travel by the wind. Grasses are the most common cause of allergy.

What is the best medicine for rhinitis?

Nasal corticosteroids are a type of nasal spray. They reduce inflammation in the nose and block allergic reactions. They are the most effective medicine type for allergic rhinitis because they can reduce all symptoms, including nasal congestion. Nasal corticosteroids have few side effects.

How do you know if you are allergic to pollen?

Symptoms include: • Runny nose and mucus production. • Sneezing. • Itchy nose, eyes, ears and mouth. • Stuffy nose (nasal congestion) • Red and watery eyes. • Swelling around the eyes.

How long does it take for a prick to show up on your skin?

If you are allergic to the substance, you will develop redness, swelling and itching at the test site within 20 minutes.

How to get pollen out of hair?

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.

What is the best medicine for pollen allergy?

Over-the-counter antihistamine medications, such as cetirizine (Zyrtec) or loratadine (Claritin).

How to reduce allergy symptoms?

Examples of these include: Keeping the windows closed when pollen counts are high. Using special HEPA filters in central air conditioning vents might help filter out pollen from the air system.

Why do people with allergies breathe in pollen?

When people with allergies breathe in this pollen, their body identifies it as a threat, which can trigger an allergic reaction.

What is the most common pollen allergy?

weeds, such as ragweed, sagebrush, or tumbleweed. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, grasses are the most common pollen allergy. If a person does not know which pollen they are allergic to, they can see a doctor that specializes in allergies. These specialists are called allergists and immunologists.

What causes a runny nose?

Symptoms. Share on Pinterest. A pollen allergy can cause a runny or stuffy nose. Pollen allergy causes a person to experience several of the following symptoms: itchy or watery eyes. itchy throat. a runny nose. sneezing. a stuffy nose.

How does the body react to pollen?

The body reacts to this perceived threat by making and releasing substances known as IgE antibodies. These IgE antibodies attach to mast cells in the body, which release histamine. Histamine is the main substance responsible for pollen allergy symptoms.

Does pollen cause asthma?

Some people with asthma may also find a pollen allergy worsens their existing asthma symptoms, which can include wheezing and coughing. When a person breathes in pollen, the pollen releases water-soluble proteins on the respiratory lining.

What is the best way to get rid of allergies?

To get allergy relief, your doctor may also prescribe an inhaled steroid nasal spray, a non-sedating antihistamine, a decongestant, or other allergy medications . It's important to stay on your allergy medications daily to get full allergy relief and to prevent further problems.

What is the best medicine for histamines?

Antihistamines (allergy relief medicines) are effective in treating some of the allergy symptoms caused by histamines. Berger tells WebMD that the goal is to prevent allergy symptoms from occurring. "Taking allergy medicines (antihistamines) regularly blocks the histamine receptors -- the tissues that cause swelling.

What is the mechanism of fertilization?

Pollen, the microscopic powdery granules of flowering plants, is the mechanism for the fertilization of trees, grasses, and weeds. While pollen from plants with bright flowers like roses rarely trigger allergy symptoms, the tiny, dry pollens from grasses, trees, and weeds are the main allergy culprits. Even though your yard may have no true pollen ...

When do grasses pollinate?

Although weather changes can determine the pollen count in the air, the pollinating season stays constant with trees pollinating first during springtime, grasses pollinating from late spring to midsummer, and then weeds pollinating in late summer and early fall.

Does nasal irrigation help with allergies?

Grossan tells WebMD that using a saline nasal rinse or nasal irrigation several times a day during the height of pollen season gives allergy relief for two reasons. "The saline solution removes miniscule particles of pollen from the nasal passages and also removes IgE, the chemical in the body that reacts with pollen to give you ...

Can pollen make you sleepy?

Let's be honest. If the miserable symptoms of pollen allergies don't push you over the edge, some allergy relief medicines can. Sure, some older allergy relief medicines ease your symptoms, but they can also leave you feeling sluggish, sleepy, and unable to concentrate at work or school. So how can something as miniscule as pollen make you feel ...

What is the best way to treat pollen allergies?

Another form of immunotherapy is a tablet that's placed under the tongue (sublingual) until it dissolves. Sublingual drugs are used to treat some pollen allergies. Emergency epinephrine. If you have a severe allergy, you might need to carry an emergency epinephrine shot at all times.

What is the best treatment for severe allergies?

Immunotherapy. For severe allergies or allergies not completely relieved by other treatment, your doctor might recommend allergen immunotherapy. This treatment involves a series of injections of purified allergen extracts, usually given over a period of a few years.

What is a specific IgE test?

Specific IgE (sIgE) blood testing, commonly called radioallergosorbent test (RAST) or ImmunoCAP testing, measures the amount of allergy-causing antibodies in your bloodstream, known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies.

How to prevent allergic reactions?

Allergen avoidance. Your doctor will help you take steps to identify and avoid your allergy triggers. This is generally the most important step in preventing allergic reactions and reducing symptoms. Medications. Depending on your allergy, medications can help reduce your immune system reaction and ease symptoms.

How to reduce exposure to dust mites?

Reduce your exposure to dust mites or pet dander by frequently washing bedding and stuffed toys in hot water, maintaining low humidity, regularly using a vacuum with a fine filter such as a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter and replacing carpeting with hard flooring. Mold allergy symptoms.

How to get rid of hay fever and sinus congestion?

Sinus congestion and hay fever symptoms. These often improve with saline nasal irrigation — rinsing out the sinuses with a salt and water solution. You can use a neti pot or a specially designed squeeze bottle to flush out thickened mucus and irritants from your nose.

Can antihistamines affect skin test results?

For example, antihistamines can affect the results of an allergy skin test. Make a list of: Your symptoms, including any that seem unrelated to allergies, and when they began. Your family's history of allergies and asthma, including specific types of allergies, if you know them.

How to manage pollen allergy?

One of the best ways to manage a pollen allergy is to avoid exposure to pollen as much as possible and go outside when pollen counts are lowest. All allergy sufferers know the amount of pollen falling varies by the season. However, the weather can also affect it.

What are the symptoms of pollen allergy?

Dry, windy, and hotdays can trigger pollen allergy symptoms most. Pollen counts are typically lowest before dawn,rise throughout the morning,peak around the middle of the day,and decline in the early evening. Avoid unnecessary exposure. Closingall doors and windows.

Is pollen allergy genetic?

Itchy throat. Sources: acaai.org. ecarf.org. Susceptibility to a Pollen Allergy. Many people wonder if pollen allergies are genetic. Researchers are still studying this question, but studies suggest that yes, a hereditary component is involved.

Is pollen bad for allergies?

Weed pollencan also be problematic for allergy sufferers, especially in the late summer to early fall. Pollen can come from a variety of weeds with ragweed, the worst offender, generating 1 million grains each day from just one plant. Sagebrush, tumbleweed, pigweed, and more can also cause plenty of misery.

Why is my car yellow?

Pollen falls and spreads mostly in the spring, summer, and fall. You may have noticed this powdery, yellow substance coating your car. The main culprits tend to be grasses, trees, and weeds, which have pollen that is small, light, and dry and therefore easily dispersed by the wind.

What is the purpose of pollen?

It’s generated in a structure on the end of the stamen (the male reproductive part of the flower) known as the anther and its purpose is to fertilize other plants in the same species.

How many people are allergic to pollen?

Many people welcome spring with its warmer weather, longer days, and blossoming flowers and trees. For the more than 26 million Americans who suffer from allergic rhinitis including pollen allergies, however, this season can be full of misery.1.

How to prevent allergy symptoms?

This includes removing the source of allergens from your home and other places you spend time. You can also reduce your symptoms to airborne allergens by washing out your nose daily.

What are the best medications for allergies?

What Medicines Can I Take for Allergies? 1 Antihistamines block histamine, a trigger of allergic swelling. They can calm sneezing, itching, runny nose and hives. They come in pills, liquids, melting tablets or nose sprays. These treat seasonal and indoor allergies. 2 Mast cell stabilizers keep your body from releasing histamine. This can help with itchy, watery eyes or an itchy, runny nose. They are available as eye drops or nose sprays. 3 Decongestants reduce stuffiness by shrinking swollen membranes in the nose. But be careful. Using these sprays more than three days in a row may cause the swelling and stuffiness in your nose to get worse. This can happen even after you stop using the medicine. This reaction is a rebound reaction. 4 Corticosteroid creams or ointments relieve itchiness and stop the spread of rashes. See your doctor if your rash does not go away after using this cream for a week. Corticosteroids are not the same as anabolic steroids used illegally by some athletes to build muscles.

What is the best medicine for anaphylaxis?

Epinephrine is the most effective treatment for anaphylaxis. Some over-the-counter cold medicines are a blend of different medicines. Many include aspirin or other NSAID. Aspirin can cause asthma attacks in some people. If you have asthma, talk to your doctor before taking over-the-counter allergy or cold medicines.

What is immunotherapy for allergies?

Immunotherapy is a treatment option for some allergy patients. There are two common types of immunotherapy. They are allergy shots and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). Allergy shots involve giving injections of allergens in an increasing dose over time. The person becomes progressively less sensitive to that allergen.

Is it safe to take allergy shots?

While allergy shots are fairly safe, there is a chance for a severe, life threatening allergic reaction to the injections, so they must always be given in an allergist’s office under observation from a medical professional. Researchers are studying possible treatments for certain food allergies.

Why do you take corticosteroids?

Oral corticosteroids may be prescribed to reduce swelling and stop severe allergic reactions. These medicines can cause serious side effects. Expect your doctor to carefully monitor you while taking it. Oral corticosteroids are not the same as anabolic steroids used illegally by some athletes to build muscles.

What is the best medicine for a runny nose?

Antihistamines block histamine, a trigger of allergic swelling. They can calm sneezing, itching, runny nose and hives. They come in pills, liquids, melting tablets or nose sprays. These treat seasonal and indoor allergies.

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