5 Tips for Dealing with Allergies
Allergies can be challenging to deal with, but by understanding your allergies’ triggers and causes, you can learn how to deal with and prevent your allergies from happening before they start. Whether seasonal or year-round, treatment options are available if you find yourself dealing with an allergy attack. Nasal sprays, antihistamines, and staying clean are just some allergy tips to help mitigate your symptoms, allowing you to live a more comfortable allergy-free life.
What Causes Allergies?
Allergies are caused when your body is exposed to something that it thinks is harmful. This “harmful” substance triggers an immune response in the body, which results in symptoms like coughing, shortness of breath, or sneezing. The most common allergens are pollen, dust mites, mold spores, milk and pet dander.
When exposed to these substances, histamine gets released into the bloodstream by a type of white blood cell called mast cells. Histamine causes inflammation and leads to allergy symptoms such as a runny nose and watery eyes.
Food allergies are slightly different because a food allergy is an immune response to certain proteins found in specific foods. The most common food allergens are peanuts, shellfish, eggs, and fish. Food allergies are typically caused by an error in the immune system that recognizes proteins found in certain foods as a threat. Common food allergy symptoms are stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, trouble breathing, and hives.
How to Prevent Allergies: 5 Allergy Tips
Some of the best ways to prevent environmental allergies are by staying indoors during high-pollen days, using an air purifier in your home, and washing sheets weekly. Also, make sure you always have medicine on hand for when allergy symptoms strike. At-home treatment options include antihistamines or nasal sprays that can relieve some allergy symptoms like sneezing and a runny nose.
Having to deal with allergies can be a real pain. However, with the proper treatment and lifestyle changes, you can find yourself living free from the uncomfortable symptoms of allergies. The following allergy tips may help you find relief from your symptoms.
1. Use Antihistamines
When suffering from allergy symptoms, taking over-the-counter antihistamines might be the answer, but did you know that you can take antihistamines before your allergies even start? By taking allergy pills, you can prevent allergy symptoms before they even begin.
2. Nasal Treatments
Sometimes we catch ourselves in the middle of an allergy attack before it’s too late. If you are experiencing allergy symptoms, using a nasal spray can be a quick solution to finding relief. Using a neti pot can also help you find relief from your allergies. Neti pots work by pushing a flow of saline solution through your nasal passages to thin out the mucus and clear out any allergens trapped inside.
3. Drink Plenty of Fluids
When trying to cope with allergies, hot fluids like soup, broth, or teas can also help provide relief by thinning out the mucus in your nasal passages and loosening up congestion. Be sure to drink plenty of water, as this will also help relieve your allergy symptoms. Avoid drinking any alcoholic beverages as it might worsen your symptoms.
4. Stay Clean
Taking a hot shower after being outside can help wash away any potential allergens that might be trapped on your skin or hair. Taking a hot shower also has an added benefit in that the hot steam from the shower can help open up your airways and clear out any congestion.
5. Visit Northeast Allergy
One of the best allergy tips we have is to see an allergist. Northeast Allergy offers allergy testing to get a better understanding of what you are allergic to and what to avoid. If home remedies like nasal sprays and saline solutions aren’t working, Northeast Allergy has treatments to help you cope with your allergy symptoms and find relief.
Contact Us
Northeast Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology specialize in a variety of treatments for both adults and children. If these problems negatively impact your quality of life, request an appointment online or call us at (978) 519-7164.
