Monthly Archives: June 2016

Seasonal Allergies: Putting A Lens On Spring Allergies

Spring allergies are a type of seasonal allergies that come about during spring. While many people believe that they are caused by flowers, allergy specialists have been able to prove that they are brought about by trees that are pollinating at the time. When you have the allergies you tend to experience coughing, congestion, water, itchy eyes, itchy nose, dark circles under the eyes and itchy throat. While you can’t completely avoid the allergy triggers, you should take measures that decrease your exposure.

Guide on how to prevent spring allergies

There are plenty of things that you can do to reduce your exposure to the allergens. One of the things that you should do is avoid going outside. If you can stay indoors you should do it. If you can work from home you should avoid going to the office during the allergy season. Another thing that you should do is keep yourself clean. When you are coming from outside, change your clothes and wipe your shoes before entering the house. This is to minimize the chances of bringing the allergens into the house.

Air filters also come in handy during this time. If you have stayed for long without cleaning or changing your air filter, this is the best time to do it. When replacing the unit use a HEPA air filter as it gives the best results.

Relief from spring allergies

The cool thing is that there are plenty of spring allergy treatment options that you can go with. All you need to do is visit your allergist and he/she will recommend the best medication for your condition. To easily fight the condition you should take the medications a few weeks before the symptoms begin showing.

Antihistamines are the most commonly used medications that you can go with. You have many options including: Claritin, zyrtec, allegra, zyzal and clarinex. There are also a variety of nasal sprays that you can go with. The most common being: veramyst, nasonex, nascort, omnaris, flonase, rhinocort and Nasacort. If you don’t like any of these medications, you should consider taking allergy shots. The cool thing with the shots is that once you are injected you don’t need to take any other medications.

Conclusion

This is what you need to know about spring allergies. As mentioned, you should reduce your exposure to the allergens to avoid developing symptoms. While there are many medications that you can get over the counter, you should avoid taking them without first visiting your allergy doctor.

All About Ocular Allergies

Ocular allergy or allergic conjunctivitis as it’s known along medical corridors is a condition where an allergen irritates your conjunctiva. Just like any other type of allergy, ocular allergies come about when your immune system identifies an allergen and overreacts to it by producing immunoglobulin (IgE).

Causes of eye allergy

The most common causes of this allergy are seasonal allergens which include mold spores and pollen. If you are fond of developing seasonal allergies, you are bound to have eye allergies. Indoor allergens such as dust mites, mold, and pet dander have also been found to provoke the allergy. A clear sign that you are allergic to indoor allergens is worsening of the condition when you are cleaning the house or grooming your pet. Few people have been shown to develop the allergy when exposed to irritants such as diesel exhaust, cigarette smoke, and perfume.

Symptoms of ocular allergy

The symptoms are similar to the ones that you get when you are having other types of allergies. You will have itching sensations, redness of the eye, increased amount of tears, blurred vision and swelling of the eyelid.

How to manage eye allergy

If you suspect that you have eye allergy you should visit your allergist who will recommend some medications. There are many types of medications that you can take depending on your condition. The common medications include:

Topical decongestants: They are meant to reduce the redness of the eye by constricting the small blood vessels of your eye. It’s recommended that you apply the drops for only a short period of time.

Topical antihistamines: From their name, these are medications that aid in reducing redness, itching, and swelling. They work by blocking the action of histamine. In addition to the medications being prescribed by your doctor, you can also get them over the counter.

Steroids: They are usually the last resort after all the other medications have failed to work. Since they are powerful, you should use them under the supervision of your allergy doctor.

Other ways of managing allergic conjunctivitis

Other than taking medications there are other ways that you can use to manage the allergy. One of the most effective ways is keeping the windows closed during high pollen periods. You should also wear glasses or sunglasses when outdoors. This is to keep pollen out of your eyes. To limit your exposure to dust mites, use “mite-proof” bedding covers.

Telling The Difference Between Allergy And Sinus Disease

Most people can’t tell the difference between allergies and sinus disease. This is because the two have almost identical symptoms: painful nose, sneezing and coughing. The truth is that the two are very different. Here are their differences:

Causes of allergy and sinus disease

Allergy is caused by allergens that can be pollen, pet dander, dust, mold spores or anything else that might provoke your body to release histamine. Histamine causes the nose lining, sinuses and eyes to get inflamed. In the effort of getting rid of the allergen, the nose lining produces fluids that can provoke you to start sneezing and wheezing.

There are many causative agents for the sinus infection. They include: viruses, bacteria, nasal polyps and deviated nasal septum. These agents result to cold like symptoms.

Onset and duration of allergy and sinus infection

The other difference between the two conditions is in how they develop and the length of time that they last. According to allergy experts, sinus infections don’t just come up—you tend to experience mild symptoms over a few days. In most cases, you have an upper respiratory infection or cold for at least 10 days. This isn’t the case with allergies. When you are having an allergy, you are in good health one minute and then you are fighting for your life the next—the symptoms are abrupt and come up as soon as you get into contact with the allergen.

When it comes to duration, sinus infections last about two weeks after which they go away. Most of the allergies are seasonal allergies where they come up during spring when there are plenty of allergens in the air. Allergies don’t have a definite duration time as their duration depends on the local allergen count. When there are many allergens, the symptoms last for a long time and vice versa.

Severity of the symptoms

While the two conditions have similar symptoms, the severity of the symptoms varies. Symptoms of allergies are usually mild compared to those in sinus infections.

Conclusion

This is how the two conditions differ. To treat the conditions you should use over the counter decongestants. The medications work by reducing blood flow to the affected areas thus creating more room for you to clear the congestion. Some of the best decongestants that you can use are pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine. If you aren’t sure of the condition that you are having, you should first consult your allergy doctor before taking the medications.

Everything You Need To Know About Ocular Allergies

Ocular allergies or allergic conjunctivitis as they are in medical terms, they are conditions that come about when your eyes get into contact with an allergen. As a result of this you have itching, red, watery eyes. In some cases the condition is accompanied with nasal allergy. You develop the condition when the allergens enter your eyes when you walk into a source of the allergen. The allergens can also get into your eyes when you rub or touch the area around the eyes with your hands.

Types of eye allergies

There are two main types of eye allergies: seasonal and perennial eye allergies. From their name, seasonal allergies happen at certain times of the year. In most cases this is usually from spring to autumn. The triggers for this condition are pollen from grasses, weeds and trees. The condition is also triggered by spores from molds. Once the allergens are gone, the condition also goes away. This is usually during winter.

Perennial eye allergies are characterized by symptoms that last throughout the year. The major causes of this allergy include: dust, feathers, mites and animal dander. Air pollution, cosmetics, smoke, chlorine and a number of medicines have also been shown to cause the condition.

How to avoid eye allergy

There are many things that you can do to prevent the condition from occurring. The obvious thing is to avoid contact with the allergens by staying indoors when the pollen count is high. This is usually mid-morning and early evening. When you are out, always wear eyeglasses to prevent the allergens from getting into your eyes.

While most people are able to pinpoint the exact cause of their allergies, there are some that are unable to do it. If this is you, you should visit your allergy doctor or ophthalmologist who will analyze the condition and recommend the best medication.

Medications for eye allergies

There are plenty of medications that your allergist can recommend. One of the most common is the over-the-counter eye drops. Your doctor will recommend eye drops when your condition is mild. If your condition is relatively severe the doctor may recommend stronger medications that include antihistamines, decongestants, steroids and mast cell stabilizers.

Conclusion

This is what you need to know about eye allergies. While you can get rid of most of the conditions by simply avoiding the allergens and taking over-the-counter medications, you should visit an allergy clinic if the condition worsens.