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It's that time of year again, the time where people buy bright colored clothes, open toed shoes, yard and garden tools, and if you're an allergy sufferer, a box of Kleenex. Spring is such a beautiful time of year but those with seasonal allergies it can be one big sinus headache. If you are one of the many Americans who suffers from allergies here are some tips and advice to help you survive allergy season.
In order to understand how the treatments for allergies work, it might be helpful to have a basic idea what is happening in the body. Allergies occur when our bodies are exposed to certain antigens, such as pollen or dander in the case of many seasonal allergy sufferers. Our body has white blood cells which then try to make antibodies to the presenting antigen or pollen , and in the process releases histamine. It is the histamine that causes many of the symptoms that people with allergies suffer from. Think of a lock and key. The key is the histamine and the lock is the receptor. When the key goes into the lock then your symptoms can occur.
If you have ever walked in the allergy section your local pharmacy then you know how many products there are for people with allergies. There are boxes and boxes of different medications, but what many allergy sufferers don't know is that there is more to treating allergies then just taking a pill. Avoiding the antigen that causes the allergies is one of the most helpful things that you can do. For example, keeping your windows closed in your home and in your car keeps the pollen from getting in. It might mean that you have to run the air conditioning or a ceiling fan, but it keeps the antigens out of your home. By avoiding the antigens, your body won't make the histamine that causes all of the symptoms.
A source that I often find myself as a pharmacy student using is the weather channel and the morning news. Usually there is a pollen count and on days where it is really high I try to get my indoor chores done. On days where the pollen count is low, (which is usually after a good rain washes the pollen away) I do my outdoor chores and go
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for walks. Since you cannot see the pollen by looking out the window, the pollen count is a very helpful resource.
Of course, you cannot stay locked up in your air conditioned home until next winter. Sooner or later you will have to go outside for some reason and this exposes you to the antigens. This is why taking medication is also useful. After all, someone has to mow the lawn and walk the dog. The main class of medicine that is used to treat allergies is called antihistamines. They work by blocking the histamine receptors so that the histamine can't make your nose run or eyes itch. Think back to the lock and key. If we place gum in the keyhole of the lock, then the key can't get in. The antihistamine acts as the gum in the keyhole. Taking an antihistamine medication every day during allergy season can help decrease and minimize the allergy symptoms.
There are two kinds of antihistamines, the first generation and the second generation. Both generations are good for treating season allergies, the main difference between them is their side effects. The first generation may make you a drowsy and for some people make it harder for them to concentrate. Examples of first generation antihistamines include Benadryl and Tavist. The second generation has less drowsiness but still can have other side effects such as dry mouth. Examples of second generation include Claritin and Zyrtec. Like previously stated, both generations work well the main difference is the side effects. The items discussed above are all available without a prescription. There are also numerous prescription options that you have to see your doctor before you can take, such as Allegra. Often doctors will also prescribe a nasal spray for people to take as well.
If you are not sure which antihistimine is right for you ask your pharmacist. You should especially talk to your pharmacist before picking out an antihistamine if you have glaucoma, urinary retention problems such as having an enlarged prostate. There might be more consideration as to which medication would be right for you if you
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have such conditions.
There are other products that you can use if yours symptoms are bothering you but they don't stop the allergy. For example, if you have a sinus headache, Tylenol or Motrin might be helpful. Or if your nose is really dry and sore, using a saline nasal spray or nettie pot might be helpful. Many people have itchy dry eyes during allergy season, and Visine could be helpful for these symptoms. Make sure you read the ingredients of what you are using to make sure that you don't get too much of the same drug. For example, if you take Claritin every morning, you would not want to take Tylenol Allergy for your sinus headache. Claritin is an antihistamine and Tylenol Allergy has another antihistamine in it. Rather plain Tylenol with the antihistamine you're already taking would do the trick. It might be helpful to ask your pharmacist for advice and direction when selecting a medication for the symptoms. Of course, taking an antihistamine should help prevent the symptoms from bothering you and needing other medications.
Another point that is important to taking antihistamines is to take them every day during allergy season or the time of year that you suffer. If you take the pill after your symptoms start, blocking the histamine receptors won't be very helpful to you as there is already histamine present in the receptors- which is why you are having the symptoms. Taking the medicine every day will keep the receptors blocked so that histamine can't bind.
I sincerely hope that this information is helpful to the fellow allergy sufferer. Remember, by avoiding the antigen that causes your symptoms, and by taking an antihistamine daily during allergy season, you too can worry more about spring fashions and less about Kleenex.
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