Allergies are a very common problem, with over 100 million Americans struggling with several types of it annually. It is one of the leading causes of chronic illness, and seasonal allergies are especially common in the warm weather, making an otherwise lovely season miserable for many.
Whether you deal with hay fever, eye allergies, or other unpleasant problems in the Spring, Summer, or even Fall, getting relief from the symptoms should be an important priority. Fortunately, there are several ways to help. Let’s explore the types of allergies out there, the common symptoms you may experience, and the home and medical options to manage them.
If you live in the Orlando or Kissimmee, Florida area and you’re dealing with the signs of seasonal allergies, Drs. Wade Han, Elvira Livigni De Armas, and their skilled medical staff at Florida Ear Nose Throat & Facial Plastic Surgery Center can help.
Your immune system works to prevent foreign particles, germs, viruses, and bacteria from harming you. Still, allergic reactions are overreactions to harmless substances (allergens) your body thinks are out to damage or infect you. This results from your body creating histamine as a reaction to allergens, making antibodies to fight something that doesn’t pose a threat outside of the reaction.
Seasonal allergies result from your body’s reaction to allergens found only at specific times of the year, such as pollen from weeds, grass, and trees. Other triggers for allergies can include mold, insect bites, dust mites, and other things that may become more abundant in certain seasons.
Hay fever is the common term for allergic rhinitis and is the most common reaction to seasonal allergies, resembling a cold's symptoms. Common symptoms include nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, watery, itchy, or red eyes, coughing, postnasal drip, itchy skin, and sinus pressure and pain.
If you have hay fever symptoms for more than a few days, you may also struggle with a sore throat, clogged ears, headaches, diminished ability to smell, irritability, puffiness under your eyes, and fatigue. Hay fever can also lead to sinus inflammation (sinusitis), cause asthma symptoms, and affect your ability to get quality sleep.
Allergy tests can be used to confirm the allergies you have. Still, there are a wide range of options for managing them, including preventive measures, medications, and over-the-counter solutions:
This is mainly a method of finding your triggers and keeping them under control, so you should do things like sanitizing areas where allergens are likely to be, showering regularly to keep them from building up on your skin, washing clothes, and closing windows to keep pollen from getting in. Air filters are also very handy in keeping allergens out.
Depending on your specific needs, we can treat your allergies with corticosteroids, decongestants, leukotriene modifiers, and immunotherapy injections. Severe reactions can be treated with emergency epinephrine.
Many over-the-counter treatments, such as various decongestants, antihistamines, cromolyn sodium, loratadine, and cetirizine, can help manage symptoms. Depending on how much will help, many of these can also be given in prescription doses.
When allergies start becoming a problem, a combination of preventive measures and medications can make these seasons much easier on your body. To find out what methods will best manage your allergies, make an appointment with Drs. Han, Livigni De Armas, and their staff at Florida Ear Nose Throat & Facial Plastic Surgery Center today.
