Spring is in Bloom—and Allergies, Too!

With spring in the air, plants and trees are bursting into an explosion of colorful blossoms. That’s great on the eyes, but not necessarily on the nose and sinuses as allergens fill the air, kicking up hay fever and other pollen allergy symptoms.

There is nothing inherently adverse about pollens. They’re harmless! The problem is the body’s interpretation of those pollens. Allergies occur when the body mistakes those innocuous pollens for something genuinely harmful (like a germ) and rallies its defenses to fight them off. When the body goes into battle mode, chemicals like histamine are released into the body, leading to a panoply of truly uncomfortable symptoms.

Spring allergy symptoms include:

Respiratory problems (ranging from coughing to full-blown asthma)

• Sneezing
• Red, itchy eyes (conjunctivitis)
• Dark circles under the eyes
• Runny or stuffed-up nose
• Managing Pollen Allergies

It is practically impossible to completely avoid pollens because they are airborne and can waft into most any living space. For relief, you can try antihistamines to reduce sniffling and sneezing. Nasal spray decongestants are also useful as they can clear clogged nasal passages quickly. For allergic conjunctivitis (watery and itchy eyes), you can opt for over-the-counter or prescription eye drops. Here are some other lifestyle considerations to minimize your exposure to pollen.

• Stay indoors in the morning when pollen counts are especially elevated.
• Regularly replace your furnace filter.
• Use an air purifier in you home.
• Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible to minimize pollen exposure.
• Wash after going outdoors. A surprising amount of pollen can accumulate on your body, especially in your hair.
• Wear a mask when gardening or mowing the lawn.
• Vacuum and dust your home regularly.

If you’re tired of allergies putting a damper on your spring and want more lasting relief than pills and other medications can provide, consider allergy immunotherapy. Immunotherapy helps your body develop an immunity to pollens and other allergens so that they no longer serve as triggers for your allergies. AllergyEasy now provides a no-shots version of allergy immunotherapy using oral allergy drops that absorb into the bloodstream through cells in the mouth (also known as sublingual immunotherapy). Contact us for more information about no-pain, no-hassle allergy treatment drops.