Life is hard enough without dealing with allergies. We’re here to help you tackle allergy season with these five tips.
1. Know what your symptoms mean.
Get frequent or long-lasting colds in the spring or fall? Suffer from seasonal exhaustion? This is likely due to allergies. Allergy testing can help sort this out so you get effective treatment and feel better.
2. Remove the triggers.
Many allergy sufferers try to manage their environment by removing triggers by vacuuming regularly, eliminating carpet where they can, and washing bedding regularly in hot water, as a few examples. These tips can help reduce allergen exposure, but they are rarely adequate.
3. Be Aware of Oral Allergy Syndrome.
Many pollens can cross react with foods with similar proteins. A couple classic examples of
pollen-and-food pairs that exacerbate symptoms are ragweed and melon in the fall, or birch trees and apples in the spring. These cross reactivities can cause an itchy mouth or throat or tongue swelling when eating theses foods in the high season for these pollens. Educate yourself and avoid these pairings, or try cooking the offending food to help break down the proteins and improve tolerability.
4. Manage those medications.
Not all over-the-counter allergy medications are created equal. Some work well for sneezing and drainage but do very little for congestion. Others can cause bothersome side effects. Some are more effective in combination. Work with the experts at Wyoming Otolaryngology to find an allergy treatment regimen that works best for you.
5. Hit allergies with your best shot.
Allergy immunotherapy is the most effective option for treating allergies. After being tested to find out what specifically you are allergic to, you may be put on an immunotherapy regimen that includes weekly shots or daily oral drops to build up tolerance to the offending allergen. The specialists at Wyoming Otolaryngology are expert in allergy testing and providing safe and effective allergy immunotherapy.
Ready to start the conversation when it comes to your seasonal allergies?
Contact us today at (307) 577-4240.
