Fighting allergy misery?
Spring, for millions of people, is not a friend. Waking hours are often consumed with sneezing, coughing and wheezing. You either can’t breathe through your nose, or you can’t stop it from running. Your body itches — your ears, throat, the back of your knees. And, for some, your relationship with your cat or dog is in peril. Ah, allergies!
Your attack plan for spring sniffling could range from FDA-approved allergy medications, to holistic remedies, to controlling your environment. Of course, you could move to a country where pollen, grass, mold, dust mites and pet dander don’t exist. Or more practically, you can take steps to make the time between now and the first frost more bearable.
Medications | There are both allergy prescription drugs and over-the-counter options. Antihistamines come with or without a decongestant. First-generation drugs, such as Benadryl, carry more side effects, including drowsiness. Claritin and Zyrtec, second-generation non-sedating antihistamines, also are available over the counter. This is the first allergy season since FDA approved Zyrtec as an over-the-counter drug. Claritin pills have been available for several years.
People with other underlying medical conditions should check with their family doctors before using a decongestant. Nasal sprays can lessen symptoms. Nasonex and Flonase are among the prescription offerings.
And there are options from A to Z for itchy eyes, as in Alaway and Zaditor, both over-the-counter eyedrops.
People with severe allergies are good candidates for allergy shots, which are designed to increase your tolerance to the allergens that cause the problems in the first place. Allergy shots are given regularly, gradually decreasing in frequency over the course of several months or years. With the wide array of over-the-counter drugs available these days, it’s tempting to skip a visit to the doctor and try to treat yourself. But finding the right approach may not be simple.
Holistic options | For those seeking a more holistic approach, there are always natural remedies for mild allergy symptoms. One remedy for hay fever is to drink a glass of warm water with juice from half of a lemon every day for a week. Acupuncture also has been shown to be successful in treating hay fever symptoms.
Environmental controls | This is one of the most important steps and one of the hardest to do, especially if you’ve waited impatiently all winter to enjoy the warmer weather. Keep your windows closed and let the air conditioner run. Don’t hang clothes out to dry; you’ll just bring pollen inside. Wear a mask when you’re mowing the lawn, raking leaves or gardening. Wash your pet often to reduce dander, for example: if you do have animals, keep them out of the bedroom.
Cost consciousness | When drugs like over the counter Zyrtec become available, they become more expensive for consumers whose health insurance no longer covers the cost. But for those with no insurance or with high co-pays, it’s a welcome relief. It may be worth the time to shop around. Depending on the drug, and whether a generic equivalent is available, you might be able to find it much cheaper at an online pharmacy store in bulk than at a local drugstore. There’s "no reason on Earth" to use more expensive brand-name drugs if a generic equivalent exists, said Dr. Sidney Wolfe, director of the Public Citizen’s Health Research Group and a lead author of "Worst Pills, Best Pills: A Consumer’s Guide to Avoiding Drug-Induced Death or Illness. Doctors have the responsibility to educate their patients that generic allergy drugs are just as good as name drugs."
Allergy season is coming!
Spring is indeed a beautiful time of the year. Its only downside: the allergens. I’ll miss plenty about this place after I graduate next month. That won’t include the allergy season, though. Around the beginning of April every year, I start to itch my eyes uncontrollably. However, Allegra dosage or prescription eye-drop allayed the discomfort. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has identified the "100 most challenging places to live with allergies" in the spring season of 2008, based on pollen scores, number of allergy medications used per patient and number of allergy specialists for per patient. Madison was given a ranking of 29, ten spots worse than last year. I can only imagine what it’s like in Lexington , Kentucky , which finished with the distinction of the top ranking. Read more…