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What Should I Do to Prepare for an Allergy Test?

Allergy testing determines whether you are allergic to a particular allergen. Common allergens include pet dander, pollen, insect bites or stings, and some foods, such as peanuts.

Your allergy specialist will conduct an allergy test to determine your body’s reaction to the allergen.

During the test, your provider will look for minor skin reactions that indicate you are likely allergic. Your provider will also look for an uncommon but deadly reaction requiring emergency treatment.

You will need to keep an eye out for a reaction that occurs later, once you have returned home.

How to prepare for an allergy test

You need to inform your healthcare practitioner about all medications you take. Some medications may prevent the allergy test from performing properly.

You may need to discontinue certain medications days, weeks, or months before your test.

Antihistamines, topical steroids, and medications used to treat vertigo or insomnia are among the examples you may need to avoid.

Your provider will tell you if and when you should stop taking any medications. Your doctor will also advise you when you can resume taking the medication after your allergy test.

What you can do to prepare for the allergy test

Just because you’re preparing for an allergy test doesn’t mean you should stop living life to the fullest.

Always see your doctor or allergist to confirm what you should absolutely avoid, but otherwise, you can normally go about your everyday routine. And, rest assured, you can still do some of the activities that people are concerned about prior to allergy testing.

Some of the things you can do include:

Take steroid nasal sprays.

It is usually safe to continue using a steroid nasal spray, but always check with your doctor before the allergy test.

Shower

While you should avoid using strongly scented lotions or colognes for the sake of the other patients, it is acceptable to shower and wear deodorant before an allergy test.

Eat regular diet

There is no need to adjust your diet in preparation for allergy testing, except for avoiding suspected food allergens—and possibly irritating food if you stop taking an antacid. You can even bring a drink and snacks to your visit, if the office allows it.

What you can’t do before an allergy test

There are some items you should avoid before taking an allergy test to ensure the accuracy of the results. Of course, consult your doctor or allergist to see what they recommend. In most cases they will most likely advise against some of these:

Antihistamines

Perhaps the most crucial aspect of preparing for allergy testing is informing your doctor or allergist about all medications and supplements you are taking, including over-the-counter products.

If you’re taking an antihistamine, you should cease three days to a week before your allergy test to avoid suppressing your body’s response to the allergens in issue.

So, at least a week before allergy testing, ask your doctors how long they recommend you refrain.

Some antacids

Some antacids contain an antihistamine, so avoid using them for at least a day before doing an allergy test. You should contact your provider for a full list and timing recommendations. (You may want to avoid acidic, heavy, or spicy foods in the meantime.)

Beta-blockers

If you are using a beta-blocker, which is used to treat high blood pressure, a heart condition, anxiety, migraines, and glaucoma, see your doctor before temporarily ceasing it.

If you have a severe reaction to an allergy, a beta-blocker can reduce your body’s response to an emergency injection of epinephrine.

Tricyclic Antidepressants

Tricyclic antidepressants, can also decrease your immunological response for a week or two, interfering with allergy test findings. Ask your prescribing doctor how to temporarily discontinue your medication regimen.

Fragrances

Even if you are not allergic to certain scent compounds, other patients in the office may be. Put down the hair spray, perfume, or scented lotion for the day as a politeness.

What to expect during the allergy test

When you initially go in for your allergy test, they will apply allergens to your skin. This takes roughly five to ten minutes. Adults have them placed on their forearms, whilst children typically have them done on their backs.

In around 15 minutes, you might notice a little red lump growing in the locations where some allergens were applied. After noting your results, the attending nurse will clean your skin with alcohol.

A patch test may be used to detect any delayed allergic reactions. The allergens are placed on patches that are attached to your skin. You wear this patch for 48 hours, and your doctor will examine your skin for results.

What to expect after the allergy test

You and your healthcare provider will discuss the results of your allergy test. A positive test result indicates that you had an allergic reaction to an allergen.

You and your provider can discuss any extra testing you may require. The tests can determine how serious your allergy is and whether you require medication to avoid or treat a reaction.

Rarely, after a prick or intradermal test, you may experience allergic reactions. Depending on the type of test you received, you should look for symptoms of an adverse reaction. This can occur within hours following an allergy test.

If you experience a reaction, your physician will explain what you should do. You may need to take an antihistamine or another medication to stop the reaction.

Results after the test

Only your doctor or allergist Manassas VA can correctly interpret the findings of your allergy test. However, remember that skin testing will produce observable results, whereas blood tests (if given) will produce higher-than-normal levels of IgE antibodies.

You’ll also notice if you react to eating a food to which you’re allergic during a challenge test.

Following that, your provider will develop a treatment plan tailored to the kind and severity of your allergy.

Make sure to ask them any questions you may have and maintain an open line of communication to keep them updated on your progress and any other reactions you may encounter.

Guide to Surviving Spring Allergies

While the increasing temperatures allow you to spend time outdoors, the downside is that the plants begin to produce pollen, which can trigger your allergies.

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you might be wondering how you will survive the spring season, right? Well, there are plenty of ways to go about it. These ways include:

Don’t wait until too late to medicate

Allergies can be efficiently treated with a variety of drugs, including nasal sprays and antihistamines, but you must plan ahead of time.

The medications take some time to work, so start two to four weeks before allergy season.

Allergy season varies based on where you live and what your allergies are. Spring allergies caused by tree pollen typically start in February and linger until early summer.

To protect yourself, you should visit your allergy doctor during winter and have them prescribe medications that will give you the protection that you need during the allergy season.

Don’t bring the enemy home.

The last thing you want is to bring allergens that are causing allergies into your home. To ensure this doesn’t happen, when you arrive home, always change your clothes and remove your shoes.

Pollen and mildew in the air adhere to your clothing, and when you sit on your furniture, you spread them all over the place.

It can be even better if you can remove the clothes outside and leave them there. This way, you ensure that your house is sterile and free of harmful pollen.

Wear a mask outside

Wearing a mask outside is a must for persons with severe allergies because it filters out harmful allergens.

The cool thing is that there are many types of masks that you can go for. The most common ones are surgical, KN95, and N95 masks, which are all effective.

Besides the masks, it’s also a good idea to use eye protection like sunglasses or goggles.

The key to getting the best result with these units is to ensure that they are the right size. For example, the masks should be a right fit that ensures that you are comfortable, and they don’t let in any pollen.

Keep your sinuses clean.

You need to keep your sinuses clear of the pollen. One of the ways to do this is by cleaning them.

Once a day, before going to bed, flush your sinuses with saline rinse bottles.

Get rid of irritants in your nose so you don’t have inflammation when you go to sleep.

You can purchase the rinse bottles at any drugstore or retailer. You can also ask your allergist if they have the bottles.

You should note that when using the bottles, it might get uncomfortable at the start, but when you get used to them, it becomes easy.

To clean your sinuses, stand with your head over a sink or in the shower, tilted to one side.

Use a squeeze bottle to slowly pour or squeeze the saline solution into the upper nostril. Allow the solution to exit your other nostril and enter the drain. At this time, breathe through your lips rather than your nose.

Repeat on the other side.

Try not to allow the water to go down the back of your throat. You may need to reposition your head until you get the proper angle.

When you’re finished, gently blow your nose into a tissue to remove any remaining mucus.

Don’t rush to use Benadryl

Many people rely on Benadryl, also known as diphenhydramine. While this is the case, don’t rush to get the medication.

The reason for this is that it can readily get into your brain and cause significant sedation that can easily last into the next day and disrupt your sleep cycle, worsening your sleep quality.

Other unpleasant side effects of the condition include dry lips, blurred eyesight, urine retention, and constipation.

Stick with newer medicines like Claritin, Allegra, and Xyzal.

These new medications have been modified to be less likely to get into your brain and cause sedation. They are much safer to use.

Don’t rely on honey

There is a lot of misinformation on the internet regarding what to do for a cough and cold. The classic one is whether local honey is ideal for treating allergies.

It’s a myth. This means that if you consume local honey, you get a little pollen, and it can’t help your allergies.

The concept of using honey to cure allergies is comparable to receiving allergy injections. You should note that honey has not been demonstrated to be beneficial, but allergy injections have.

When a person consumes local honey, they are said to be ingesting local pollen. A person’s sensitivity to this pollen may decrease over time. As a result, individuals may have fewer seasonal allergy symptoms.

It is true that bees pollinate flowers and produce honey. However, the quantity of pollen from the environment and plants are assumed to be relatively modest and diverse.

When you consume local honey, there is no certainty of how much (if any) pollen you will be exposed to. This is distinct from allergy shots, which purposely desensitize a person to pollen at regular doses.

You should note that honey has not been clinically proved to reduce allergies. However, it can still be a delicious substitute for sugary dishes.

Some people take it as a cough suppressant, though, and it has been shown to alleviate the condition.

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you should seek medical care. Over-the-counter allergy medications are one example, as is avoiding being outside as much as possible.

Parting shot

It’s not rocket science to survive the spring allergies. You should always start treating the condition as early as possible.

This calls for you to see an allergy specialist doctor a couple of weeks before the allergy season kicks in.

You should work hard at minimizing the amount of allergens you bring back into the house, but it would even be better if you can avoid going outside altogether, especially when the pollen count is high.

Tips to Survive Spring Pollen

Springtime increases stuffy noses and itchy throats, and millions of seasonal allergy sufferers in the United States are unlikely to find respite anytime soon.

Several studies have found that pollen seasons are becoming longer and more intense throughout the country.

Climate change and growing carbon dioxide emissions are predicted to accelerate the development of trees and grasses in many places, resulting in higher pollen concentrations.

If you have been suffering from seasonal allergies for a long time, you may have noticed that allergy symptoms start early and last longer.

Are you wondering how you can deal with the allergies? There are plenty of ways to go about it as given by an allergy specialist.

Clean your sinuses

The technique of cleaning the sinuses dates back thousands of years to India’s Ayurvedic medical traditions, and its efficacy has been proven via numerous studies. To do it yourself, use a neti pot, bulb syringe, or squeeze bottle to pour the saline solution into one nostril and let it drain into the other.

It might seem like a simple concept, but it comes in handy at helping you flush out pollen, mucus, and other allergens in your nasal cavity. As a result, you feel less congested and may require less allergy medicine.

Find medication that works for you.

Several OTC and prescription medications can alleviate allergy symptoms. Many doctors recommend nasal steroid sprays.

While they are good, the downside is they may take a few days or weeks to get the relief you are looking for, so you need to start using them early in the season before your symptoms worsen.

Antihistamines are other options to consider. The cool thing about them is they have a more rapid effect.

Decongestants such as Afrin or Sinex can also help. While they are great, you should use them last since they can create a rebound effect.

After a few days of using them, the blood vessels in your nose tend to become less sensitive to the medication, and you may experience severe congestion again. So, keep these medications to no more than three days in a row.

It takes some trial and error to determine the ideal pharmaceutical regimen. If you have tried one medication and it doesn’t seem to be working for you, you should try other types to see if they’re more effective.

If you’ve tried numerous over-the-counter allergy medications, talk to your doctor about prescription options. An allergy specialist can help you develop a plan for your specific sensitivities ahead of time.

Be wise in how you spend time outdoors.

Many prominent weather apps and websites include “allergy forecasts” and pollen counts. The National Allergy Bureau website lists over 80 sites around the United States that provide more specific daily pollen updates depending on various plant species.

You can choose the station closest to you and receive notifications for the specific pollen allergy you have.

Pollen levels are often highest in the early morning and mid-morning. If you can exercise indoors at those hours or run errands later in the evening, you will absorb less pollen, giving you an easy time dealing with your allergies.

If you are prone to allergy symptoms and need to go outside in the morning or do yard work, wear a high-quality N95 mask. This will help to filter out pollen and leave your sinuses open.

Reduce the pollen getting in the house.

Avoid bringing pollen inside after you’ve been outside. When you go home, take off your shoes and change your clothes. Shower before bed to eliminate pollen from your skin. Also, avoid sleeping with your dogs.

Even if you’re not allergic to pets, there is pollen on their coats, which might worsen the situation.

To improve your sleep, try wrapping your mattress and pillows in hypoallergenic encasements. You also should consider washing bedding in hot, soapy water at least once a week and using a dryer instead of a clothesline.

It’s also wise to clean and replace your air conditioner filter with a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) of 11 or greater.

These filters capture small pollen particles. If you have severe allergies, consider investing in a professional-style HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter for your bedroom.

HEPA filters have a MERV value of 17 or above and can remove 99 percent of pollen, animal dander, dust, and other particles.

Consider getting allergy immunotherapy.

If allergies are interfering with your daily life, you should discuss immunotherapy with your allergy doctor to find long-term relief.

After determining which pollen types you are allergic to by undertaking a skin prick exam or blood test, your doctor may offer subcutaneous allergy immunotherapy, also known as allergy shots.

This entails a series of injections administered once a week or once a month. The dose is progressively increased, which allows your immune system to grow less sensitive to the allergen over time.

Over the last decade, the Food and Drug Administration has begun to authorize another type of immunotherapy called sublingual immunotherapy.

Tiny amounts of pollen are presented in tablet form, which are placed under the tongue for one to two minutes before being eaten as they disintegrate.

Both methods of immunotherapy require patience, as it could take six months or a year to observe a reduction in symptoms. While this is the case, you may need to continue the treatment for three to five years before your body can consistently ignore your triggers.

When it succeeds, immunotherapy can be a great solution. People who used to suffer from seasonal stuffy noses and itchy eyes can now enjoy springtime after successfully treating their symptoms.

If you feel this is the way to end your suffering, talk to your allergy specialist doctor Manassas and they will come up with a plan that will help ease your condition.

Guide to Stopping Allergies from Ruining Your Sleep

The allergy season can be unpleasant. With watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, and congestion, simply getting through the day can be difficult, let alone getting enough sleep.

In addition to exacerbating sleep problems such as snoring or obstructive sleep apnea, allergies can make it difficult to fall asleep and keep you from staying asleep once you do.

The more severe your symptoms, the more likely that your allergies are causing you to sleep poorly.

To have a great night’s sleep, you need to find an allergy doctor to help you fix the issue.

Besides seeing an allergy professional, you can do many other things to curb the condition. These things include:

Keep your house doors closed

Closing windows and doors at night can keep external allergens like pollen, dust, and mold from entering your home and causing allergies.

Indoor allergens such as pet dander, dust mites, and mold spores are easy to keep contained in a closed room, therefore keeping the windows and doors closed can help decrease your exposure to these allergens.

Closing windows and doors can help improve your house’s air quality. When the windows are open, dust, pollution, and other airborne particles can enter your home and irritate your airways, making breathing difficult.

You should close your windows and doors to keep pollutants out and breathe fresher air.

Shower before you sleep

During the pollen season, showering before bed might assist in eliminating any pollen particles that may have accumulated on your skin and hair throughout the day.

This is especially vital if you’ve been outside, as pollen can readily adhere to your skin and hair.

Showering before bed removes any pollen particles that may have accumulated on your body, lowering the probability of allergy reactions at night.

Showering before bed is especially useful for people with allergies or asthma, as pollen can aggravate their symptoms and make sleeping difficult.

Tie back your long hair.

Tying your hair up at night can help avoid allergies and alleviate the severity of hay fever symptoms by reducing contact between your hair and your face.

When you spend time outside during the day, your hair may gather pollen and other allergens. If you do not tie your hair up in bed, allergens might transfer to your pillowcase and come into touch with your face, aggravating hay fever symptoms and causing allergic responses. You don’t want this, do you?

Tying your hair decreases the possibility of allergens coming into touch with your face. It alleviates the severity of hay fever symptoms.

Besides tying your hair, you should also consider shampooing it before bed, which can assist in removing any collected pollen or other allergens, lowering the chance of allergy reactions at night.

Get hypoallergenic bedding

Hypoallergenic bedding can help avoid seasonal allergies by limiting exposure to common allergens, including dust mites, pollen, and pet dander.

Dust mites are microscopic parasites that feed on dead skin cells and prefer warm, humid settings. They are a prevalent cause of seasonal allergies, and you can find them in bedding, mattresses, and pillows.

Hypoallergenic bedding repels dust mites, preventing them from gathering in your bedding. If you have allergies, particularly reactions at night or when you wake up, you might consider using a hypoallergenic mattress.

Pollen, another frequent allergy, travels with the wind and can readily settle in bedding. Hypoallergenic bedding comprises tightly woven materials that prevent pollen from infiltrating the fabric and contacting your skin. As you can tell, this keeps you safe.

Change your laundry routine.

During the pollen season, pollen particles can easily adhere to garments and textiles when spent outdoors. If you do not wash your clothes regularly, these particles can build up and cause allergic reactions indoors.

This is especially crucial for persons with allergies or asthma, as pollen can worsen their symptoms.

Washing your clothes regularly during the pollen season can help eliminate pollen particles and other allergens that may have accumulated on your clothing, lowering the risk of allergic responses.

Dab Vaseline on your nostrils

Applying Vaseline (petroleum jelly) to the inside of your nostrils can trap pollen and other airborne allergens, decreasing their entry into your nasal passages and relieving hay fever symptoms.

Applying a tiny layer of Vaseline inside your nostrils forms a barrier that can trap pollen and other allergens before they enter your nose.

Cover your duvet with a sheet.

Covering your bed sheets with a separate sheet creates a barrier that protects your bedding from pollen particles, lowering the likelihood of allergic responses and hay fever symptoms.

To establish this barrier, throw a clean sheet over your regular bedding and tuck it around the edges to keep it in place.

This additional layer can help to keep pollen and other allergens from settling on your bedding and contacting your skin and respiratory system.

Wash the extra sheet as often as possible to remove any pollen particles that may have gathered. Furthermore, during hay fever season, wash your usual bedding at least once a week to eliminate any pollen or allergens that may have been collected on it.

Wash your bedding once a week in hot water.

Washing bedding at a high temperature will eliminate pollen and other allergens that may have accumulated on your sheets, pillowcases, and blankets, lowering the likelihood of allergic responses and hay fever symptoms.

Washing your bedding at a high temperature will help break down and eliminate pollen particles and other allergens that may be trapped in the fibers.

Doing this is especially crucial during hay fever season when pollen counts are high, and exposure to pollen is increased.

Washing bedding at high temperatures might help destroy dust mites and other germs that can cause allergic reactions and worsen hay fever symptoms.

Parting shot

These are some of the things you can do to prevent allergies from coming the way of your sleep. For peace of mind, work with an allergy specialist Manassas VA who will recommend antihistamines or other medications that are right for your condition.

Things That Can Go Wrong When You Ignore Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

Up to 40% of adults in the United States suffer from environmental allergies. While some people move fast and visit an allergy doctor as early as possible for treatment, others ignore it, often leading to problems.

Some of the issues that might come up from ignoring the symptoms include:

Allergy condition getting worse

Although some people wait to see if their seasonal or environmental allergies improve or disappear, the opposite frequently occurs. Allergies do not simply go away on their own and can worsen with age.

You should note that allergies are unexpected, so keep an eye out for indicators of an allergic reaction. Their effect depends on the allergy’s severity, exposure amount, and other factors.

That instance, ignoring allergy symptoms while continuing to be exposed to the trigger can cause the reaction to worsen with each subsequent exposure.

Allergy symptoms can swiftly worsen within hours to days, making treatment more difficult and necessitating stronger drugs.

To avoid this, you should make it a habit to take a second-generation antihistamine as soon as the first symptoms of an allergic response appear.

You also should visit an allergy specialist and undertake allergy tests to determine what you are allergic to.

Your quality of life could decrease

Some patients suffer from allergies for years and disregard their symptoms. This often leads to a notable decline in quality of life.

People with untreated allergies frequently have poor sleep, reduced social engagement, and increased worry and sadness. Multiple studies show that patients who suffer from moderate to severe allergies tend to be less productive at work and school, as well as an increase in absenteeism.

You don’t want this to happen to you, do you?

There is the risk of medical complications

Untreated environmental allergies might also cause medical issues. For example, it has been found that around 30% of patients with allergy symptoms develop asthma due to delayed treatment.

Furthermore, if environmental allergies are not treated, they might cause sinus and ear infections.

Untreated allergies can exacerbate the severity of other conditions. For example, ignoring a case of hay fever caused by allergies increases the likelihood of developing more significant symptoms, including sinus congestion, headache, and loss of sense of smell and taste.

At such a time, an allergy sufferer may require additional therapy with antibiotics and decongestants. In worst-case situations, experts warn that chronic infections may necessitate surgery.

All of this is not necessary if you properly manage your allergies.

You have the risk of anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis is a rare but dangerous and even fatal reaction that can occur in response to environmental allergens. Anaphylaxis is a condition where mild symptoms can progress to severe symptoms.

Unfortunately, the condition is difficult to predict when a patient will proceed from hives on the skin to throat swelling and being unable to breathe.

You can start having yearlong allergies

Untreated allergy symptoms might progress from seasonal to annual. Excessive humidity levels increase the spread of indoor allergens like dust mites and cockroaches.

When you don’t control the seasonal allergies, they can develop into year-round allergies in any climate.

You should note that anyone with uncontrolled seasonal allergies is prone to acquire nonseasonal allergies, such as those brought about by cats, dogs, dust mites, feathers, and mold.

Ways to stay on the safe side

To avoid the issues mentioned above, you should be ultra-cautious. The easiest approach to prevent seasonal allergies is to take over-the-counter medicines. During allergy season, antihistamines such as Claritin and nasal corticosteroids such as Flonase (fluticasone) can be given on a regular basis to alleviate symptoms.

If your symptoms are less frequent, you can use oral antihistamines to stop a seasonal allergy attack that has already started. Nasal steroids are less effective at symptom management, so avoid using them.

Besides taking the medications, there are plenty of other ways you can stay safe. These ways include:

Stay away from triggers

The most important step you can take to avoid seasonal allergies is to restrict your exposure to triggers. This is often easier said than done, especially if tree pollen or ragweed are prevalent in your outside area, but you should play your part.

To be on the safe side, spend less time outside during peak allergy season, wear a mask and sunglasses, and shower after being outside to eliminate pollen or other allergens from the skin’s surface.

The less you interact with your triggers, the less likely you are to develop symptoms.

Keep the windows closed

During the peak allergy season, keep your doors and windows closed. This will assist in reducing the number of allergens that enter your home. If you want fresh air, go outside for a walk. When doing so, ensure that the pollen counts are low.

To reduce exposure to grass and tree pollens in the spring and summer, wait until late morning or early afternoon (at the earliest) before engaging in any outside activity.

Use an air purifier

Even if you keep your windows closed, allergens will inevitably enter your home. Use an air purifier with a HEPA filter to decrease exposure to them. These filters are intended to eliminate more than 99% of tiny particles, including common allergens like pollen, pet hair, and mold.

Some folks benefit from using a humidifier. Humidified air can make the nose less sensitive to irritation and allergens, but humidifiers can also exacerbate allergens such as mold and dust mite. Consult your doctor about whether a humidifier could help your allergies.

When to see a doctor

Seasonal allergies are common for many people, but effective treatments are available. And as mentioned, it can turn ugly if you ignore the symptoms and control them as early as possible.

If you haven’t discussed your allergies with your healthcare practitioner before, now is an excellent moment. If you observe any changes in your allergy symptoms or the times you suffer seasonal allergies, you should consult your allergy doctor Manassas VA.

If you notice facial or throat swelling, difficulty breathing, or any other alarming symptoms, get medical attention right away.

Guide to Surviving Winter Allergy Season

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 60 million people in the United States may experience allergic rhinitis symptoms yearly.

These symptoms, including sneezing, runny nose, and congestion, are triggered by your body’s reactivity to an allergen that it interprets as a threat.

Pollen, which plants release into the air as part of their reproductive cycle, is frequently the cause of seasonal allergies.

The kinds of pollen present, and how much, depend on where you reside.

In addition to irritating the nose, pollen can irritate the eyes and other areas.

According to the CDC, seven out of ten patients with nasal allergy symptoms (allergic rhinitis) will also have itchy, red, or watery eyes.

Are you concerned about winter allergies, and what you can do to limit your exposure this season? Here are a few ideas given by allergy specialist doctor to get you started:

Keep the humidity low.

Dust mites are microscopic pests that dwell in household dust and feed on dead skin and dander generated by humans and animals.

They typically reside in mattresses, drapes, furniture, carpet, and bedding. They thrive in humid environments. So, if you want to use humidifiers in the winter, keep the humidity at or below 50%.

You should even consider a dehumidifier if your home tends to retain moisture during the winter.

Pay attention to your bedroom.

Because many people spend so many hours a day in the bedroom. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology recommends paying particular attention to removing allergens commonly present in that section of the house.

This involves washing sheets and bedding in warm water once a week and using zippered dust mite coverings on pillows and mattresses.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Services also suggests replacing wool or feather-filled bedding with synthetic fabrics and washing stuffed animals for children.

Be on the lookout for mold.

Consider opening a window or increasing airflow if mold frequently grows in wet areas of the house such as a bathroom.

Remove mold from hard surfaces using soap and water and allow the area to dry thoroughly. Also, as the holidays approach, look at the Christmas trees for mold if someone’s allergy symptoms occur after decorating the tree.

Watch out for allergy signs.

When you think of seasonal allergies, you probably think of sneezing, wheezing, and watery eyes. If you have any of the following symptoms, you most likely have seasonal allergies:

Sneezing frequently
Itchy or watery eyes
Nasal congestion
Nasal, ear, or chest congestion
Postnasal dripping
Throat itch
Eyelid puffiness

The symptoms listed above are pretty standard. However, your allergies may manifest differently. Seasonal allergies could also cause these less common symptoms:

Wheezing
Coughing
Unexpected loss of exercise endurance
A little headache

To be comfortable during the season, you must keep a close eye on the symptoms and take the necessary steps as soon as possible to curb them.

Reducing exposure to allergens will help. And some of the things you can do to achieve this include:

When symptoms show up, keep your windows closed.
If you are allergic to indoor allergens, use an air purifier.
When conducting yard chores, wear a dust mask.
Pollen forecasts can be found on your local weather network, so look at them.
Shower and wash your hair at the end of each day to remove pollen from your clothes, hair, and skin.

As much as reducing exposure is beneficial, it is unlikely to eliminate symptoms. So, stock up on everything from nasal sprays and decongestants to tissues for the expected runny noses and itchy eyes.

Stay moisturized

If you suffer from eczema or dry skin, continue bathing every day during the winter. You also should pat dry and moisturize shortly after stepping out of a bath or shower (within two to three minutes).

The more moisturizing you do, the better. So, keep reapplying creams several times a day.

Work on getting rid of dust.

You should avoid using fans in the winter and keep surfaces clean. Also, when dusting, use a wet towel to minimize stirring up dust mites, or wear a face mask if the area is dusty.

The fewer surfaces dust can gather, the better, so you should eliminate anything you don’t use. If you visit many homes, you will find rarely used tables and other pieces of furniture. You should get rid of these.

Make use of an air purifier. Of course, you don’t want dust in the air. Therefore, an air purifier in the home can be handy.

As much as you should protect yourself when dusting your house, it’s a good idea to wait at least a couple of hours before returning to the room after vacuuming or dusting.

Invest in knowledge

If you or your children are suffering from allergies this winter, consider seeing an allergist and immunologist in your area who can help identify the illness and, if necessary, recommend a treatment plan.

When hiring an allergist, take your time and ensure you are hiring the best.

Like when hiring any other professional, you take your time to vet them, right? You should do the same with an allergy doctor. An excellent way to go about it is to set an appointment.

How easy is it to get hold of the professional? You should be cautious of this. You want to work with a professional who is easy to find. If you don’t want your condition to flare up, and you can’t get hold of the allergy specialist Germantown.

If you suffer from any form of allergies, you can expect to see the allergy specialist several times. You don’t want to interact with someone with a horrible personality, do you? To ensure this doesn’t happen, ensure that the allergist you are working with is pleasant to be with and they are knowledgeable in the area.

Besides getting information from the allergy professional, there are plenty of other places to get information about your condition. You can watch videos, read blogs and articles, and so on. You only need to ensure that an expert is making the information you consume.

Foods to Take and Those to Avoid When Suffering from Hay Fever

As the weather warms, the dreaded hay fever season approaches. If you have been suffering from the condition, you know there are many ways to deal with seasonal allergies. Besides visiting an allergy doctor for medication, you must wash before bed, rub Vaseline under your nose, and use an air purifier.

It may surprise you, but what you eat can significantly impact your hay fever symptoms. Certain meals can help reduce inflammation and boost your immune system, while others can aggravate itching and sneezing.

To help you fight the condition, here is food to eat to relieve hay fever symptoms and those to avoid.

Pineapple

Pineapple significantly helps with hay fever symptoms. The reason for this is that pineapple is high in vitamins and has the enzyme bromelain.

Bromelain, found in pineapple stems and juice, causes the body to produce molecules that relieve discomfort and swelling in the nose and gums.

If you have a runny nose, itchy eyes, or a cough, eating pineapple or drinking pineapple juice will help relieve the symptoms.

Berries

You should consume vitamin C-rich meals during hay fever season. Vitamin C functions as a natural antihistamine, reducing the amount of histamine your body produces in response to allergens.

When you take berries, you will notice fewer symptoms, such as sneezing and watery eyes.

Some of the best berries to take include strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and cranberries, high in vitamin C and antioxidants that aid with inflammation.

So, the next time you feel congested, consider eating a bowl of berries.

Carrots

Carrots are high in vitamins and minerals, which assist in reducing hay fever symptoms. This root vegetable, like sweet potatoes, beets, and pumpkins, includes carotenoid, a plant pigment that boosts the immune system and lowers lung inflammation.

Those who suffer from chest tightness during allergy season may benefit from including carrots and other root vegetables in their diet.

Kale

Carrots contain quercetin and carotenoids. Both of these pigments are antihistamines and anti-inflammatory.

If you have itchy eyes and a runny nose, consider swapping lettuce for kale in your salads.

Onions

Quercetin, a pigment that works as a natural antihistamine, is abundant in white, red, and green onions. In addition to being rich in antioxidants, the quercetin found in onions soothes cells that react to allergens, reducing inflammation and enhancing immunity and gastrointestinal health.

Many sources recommend eating onions raw for the maximum benefit because frying them reduces the quercetin concentration.

Pepper

Peppers will be your closest buddy during hay fever season if you suffer from allergies. Red, yellow, and green peppers are all high in vitamin C and carotenoids, which aid in the relief of hay fever symptoms such as itching around the eyes, nose, and throat.

You can also take chili peppers as they are anti-inflammatory as well.

Garlic

Garlic, like ginger, relieves symptoms by soothing inflammation and calming the cells that create histamine.

Garlic is also high in antioxidants, and each clove contains vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, iron, C, E, and K.

Cooking with garlic during allergy season is strongly advised because vitamin E is considered one of the finest vitamins for easing symptoms.

Salmon

Fatty and oily fish, such as salmon, are high in omega-3 acids, which improve allergy tolerance and reduce inflammation and edema.

Eating salmon can help with itching and respiratory problems like asthma. Salmon is also abundant in vitamin D, increasing serotonin production when paired with omega-3 fatty acids.

This rise in serotonin can help you sleep better, which is beneficial if you have hay fever at night.

Food to avoid

As mentioned, certain foods can worsen your condition, so you should avoid it. This includes:

Dairy

Dairy, mainly matured chees like parmesan and gouda, is not ideal for allergy patients. Cheese includes histamines, which aggravate and make your allergies worse.

This is because dairy promotes mucus production in the body, which can clog the nose and throat and aggravate runny noses and itchy tongues.

Due to the dangers of milk, you should stay away from it.

Alcohol

Everyone likes a nice pint in a pub garden during the summer, however, some types of alcohol contain histamines and might aggravate your symptoms.

Stay away from Beer, cider, and wine are the worst for allergies because they contain more histamines than spirits like vodka and gin.

To prevent your allergies from getting worse, you should avoid these types of alcohol. You can also try alcohol-free drinks to prevent the condition from coming about at all.

Apples

You must have heard the adage that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but that’s not the case regarding hay fever.

With hay fever, when you take apples, you are bound to seek the services of a doctor because the condition will worsen.

Many research studies have been conducted to investigate how apples affect hay fever, with some claiming that red apples assist in alleviating symptoms.

This is because apples can produce pollen-food or oral allergy syndrome, a condition in which your body responds to foods in trees and grass.

You have an allergy syndrome if your lips, tongue, and inside of the mouth are itching. If you don’t have this, apples should be fine to eat during allergy season; however, if you have, apples may aggravate your symptoms, and you should stay away from them.

Melon

Melon, like apples, is linked to oral allergy syndrome and can cause allergic reactions in people allergic to grass and ragweed.

Although melons are great to take in hot weather, honeydew, and cantaloupe melons can cause inflammation in the mouth and inner ears, and you should stay away from them.

Parting shot

These are some foods you should take and those you should avoid to prevent your condition from worsening. If you take any of the foods and the situation worsens, don’t sit back and think you will get better.

Instead, you should contact an experienced allergy specialist Manassas, and have them look at you.

Understanding Ragweed Allergies

As the fall season approaches and leaves begin to turn yellow and crimson in many parts of the country to signal the change of seasons, it can be a sign of ragweed allergies. And you should be cautious.

Though many people look forward to the leaf-peeping season and cooler temperatures, if you are one of the 50 million individuals sensitive to ragweed, fall may bring new problems, including frequent visits to an allergy doctor.

Ragweed emits billions of light airborne pollen that swarm the air in mid-August and stays until late November.

Signs and symptoms of ragweed allergy

When you touch ragweed pollen, you may experience various allergy symptoms. These include itchy eyes, sneezing, a stuffy nose, and general misery. Ragweed can also trigger severe asthma attacks in certain people.

Ways to treat the condition

There are plenty of over-the-counter medications that you can use to treat your condition. The most common ones are Fluticasone nasal sprays, a steroid drug, and antihistamine pills available under brand names such as Claritin, Allegra, or Zyrtec.

These come in handy in inhibiting histamine production in your body.

When using the drugs, you should note that they function best as a prophylactic approach before the ragweed pollen count rises.

You can also use them daily throughout the fall allergy season.

Start taking the medications early, like every September, and then be prepared to remain on them until usually around Thanksgiving.

Allergy immunotherapy, often known as allergy shots or allergy drops, are also a great alternative. These work best, especially when you have allergy-related asthma.

Allergy shots entail you receiving injections containing trace amounts of ragweed pollen. The shots help you build tolerance to the allergen and minimize allergy symptoms over time.

Sublingual immunotherapy, often known as allergy drops, is an alternative to injections in which the doctor administers medications in liquid or tablet form beneath your tongue.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology recommends starting these drugs a few months before allergy season.

How to prevent ragweed allergies

Prevention is always better than cure, so to avoid having to cure the condition, you should consider preventing it from developing in the first place. And the good news is that there are plenty of ways to do it. Some of these ways include:

Stay away from seasonal fruits.

Certain fall fruits, such as watermelon, cantaloupe, bananas, or avocados, can induce itching, tingling in the mouth, and lip swelling in persons who are allergic to ragweed.

This is because ragweed pollen contains proteins that resemble proteins found in certain plants and seasonal fruits.

When you eat these fruits, your body gets confused and causes an allergic reaction to the fruits or vegetables. Studies show that about 40% of people with seasonal allergies develop this condition.

If the fruits are processed in any way, they may be less irritating. For example, drinking watermelon juice or eating banana bread may be OK.

Although eating these fruits is unlikely to cause anaphylaxis, it’s estimated that about 2% of persons who acquire oral allergy syndrome will develop anaphylaxis.

Leave the pollen outside.

Ragweed pollen may penetrate every nook and cranny, including your hair and clothes, and follow you everywhere because it travels far and wide with the wind.

To avoid allergies, you should avoid tracking pollen back to your home.

After you’ve been outside for a period of time, change your clothes before you sit on the couch. You also should keep the windows closed so it doesn’t get into the house.

Before entering the house, remove your shoes and leave them outside. Also, think about wearing a helmet.

Minimize your exposure

It is impossible to avoid coming into contact with ragweed. But you can minimize your exposure.

This could make going for a morning workout or walk painful and stressful. However, this does not necessitate a complete cessation of those activities.

Plan to go outside when the pollen count is low, usually later in the day.

Ragweed is usually worse in the morning and gets better in the afternoon. To stay safe, avoid the morning and go out later.

You also should consider wearing a cap outside to preserve your hair and scalp. Sunglasses might assist in keeping pollen out of your eyes, so wear them.

Increase the air quality in the house

There are plenty of ways to increase the air quality in the house.

One of the ways to do this is by installing home air purifiers.

These units help filter the air within your home. This may lessen the quantity of pollen and other allergens you breathe in, providing much-needed respite.

Experts advise choosing one with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. They are intended to capture around 99% of pollen, dust, and other airborne particles.

Furthermore, if you have HVAC, central heating, or air conditioners, consider replacing the filters every three months to avoid recirculating allergen-filled air within your home.

Parting shot

These are the things you need to know about ragweed allergies. Like other seasonal allergies, the condition comes about as a result of pollen during the allergy season.

To avoid being a victim, reduce your contact with the ragweed pollen. This calls for you to spend most of your time indoors and only get outside when necessary.

You also should protect yourself by using over-the-counter medications.

If you are feeling ill even after doing all this, consider seeing an allergy specialist Germantown MD to look into your condition, as you might have other underlying conditions worsening the allergies.

The allergy doctor will also perform tests and recommend the best medications.

Signs You are Allergic to Your Pet

Pet allergy is your body’s reaction to proteins that are found in the skin cells of animals, urine, or saliva. The common signs of a pet allergy are sneezing hay fever and runny nose. Some people can experience symptoms of asthma, like breathing difficulty and wheezing.

According to an allergy clinic, pet allergy is activated by being exposed to dead skin flakes that the pet sheds. Any furry animal can become a pet allergy source, but pet allergies are normally linked to cats and dogs.

In case you are allergic to pets, the most effective strategy is to stay away from any animal exposure. Other treatments of medications might be important in relieving symptoms and managing asthma.

Causes

Allergies to animals are common, especially in individuals who have asthma or additional allergies. The truth is, that a significant percentage of people are allergic to pets, and cat allergies occur twice as often.

In case you suffer from a pet allergy, which does not always mean that you are allergic to the dog or cat. Aggravation or allergic reactions to asthma symptoms results from substance exposure that is found in pets, which includes saliva, urine, flaked skin, and dander. Aside from that, furry pets can become virtual dust mops, while bringing in allergens such as mold spores, dust, and pollen coming from outside. Pet hair is not an allergen, but it carries substances that cause allergic reactions.

Symptoms

Dog, cat and other allergens could land on the membranes, which line the eyes and nose. You can breathe pet allergens in your airways. Symptoms of an animal allergy include:

Stuffy nose
Itching and swelling of eyes and nose
Sneezing
Postnasal drip
Runny nose
Eye redness
Hives
Coughing
Sleep disruption, itchiness, fatigue, or irritability in the roof of the mouth and throat

You can get itchy eyes after petting an animal and touch your eyes after. A pet scratch or lick on your skin causes redness and itchiness in the area. You could get hives. Pet allergy may trigger an asthma attack in case you have asthma as well.

Those who have pet allergens have different sensitivity levels. Some experience minor symptoms and other people have severe symptoms. In case there are low allergen levels, symptoms might not show up until after a couple of days after interacting with your pet.

Dogs and Cats

Allergens that come from cats and dogs are in the skin cells the animal is shedding, and in the saliva, sweat, and urine on their fur. Dander is mainly a problem because it is small and it remains airborne for longer periods of time with very little air circulation. It also gets easily collected in upholstered furniture and it will stick to your clothes.

Pet saliva sticks to bedding, carpets, clothing, and furniture. Dried saliva can become airborne.

Hypoallergenic dogs and cats might shed less fur compared to the shedding types, but a completely hypoallergenic breed does not exist.

When Should You See an Allergist

If you have any of the symptoms, you might not want to think that it is your pet that is causing you discomfort. Most of the time, the best treatment is to avoid any contact with dogs and cats. For a lot of animal lovers though, pets are treated like a part of the family.

Regardless if you have mild symptoms, it would be good to schedule an appointment with an allergist. Your allergies can worsen with time. Therefore, you should get treatment early to prevent any complications.

You should talk to an allergy center Manassas VA anytime so that you can get treatment early.

Foods that Might Help with Allergy Symptoms

When talking about food allergies, you could think of avoiding certain foods to prevent any adverse reaction. However, the connection between seasonal allergies and food is linked to only a couple of food groups called cross-reactive foods. The reactions to cross-reactive foods can be felt by those who have ragweed, birch, or mugwort seasonal allergies.

Aside from the food groups, seasonal allergies are normally called allergic rhinitis or hay fever. They only happen during specific times of the year – normally during the summer or spring. They happen when the immune system has an overreaction to allergens, like plant pollen leading to sneezing, congestion, and itching.

Your allergy doctor would want you to eat these foods to help alleviate allergy symptoms:

Ginger

Ginger and its extracts are popular for their medicinal effects, which include anti-nausea, anti-inflammation, and pain relief. Since it has anti-inflammatory properties, it can work against allergies too. based on a study, ginger suppresses the production of specific cytokines that causes the activation of the mast cell. Therefore, they lead to the prevention and alleviation of the symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Unfortunately, there are no human studies that prove ginger can help with allergy symptoms. However, it is a spice that you are probably aware of.

Fruits Packed with Vitamin C

You should blame the hives, itchiness, and other discomforts you could be feeling because of an allergic response to histamine. Vitamin C helps because it indirectly limits inflammatory cells from producing histamine. High vitamin C levels reduce histamine and help break it down faster after it has been released, providing relief to allergy symptoms.

Aside from the fighting power of histamine, foods with vitamin C can provide relief of allergy symptoms by reducing inflammation. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, which means it counteracts free radicals’ anti-inflammatory effects. Foods like oranges, apples, strawberries, and watermelons counteract the inflammatory allergic response.

Tomatoes

Technically, a tomato is a fruit and it is also rich in vitamin C. They also contain lycopene, which is another antioxidant compound that helps to decrease inflammation. Even if lycopene is also in other pink and red foods, 85% of dietary lycopene is found in tomato products, which include tomato juice, ketchup, and sauce. There is still emerging research on the connection of lycopene to allergies, but lycopene might help improve lung function after exercising when you have asthma.

Turmeric

Turmeric is also a popular anti-inflammatory powerhouse because of its active ingredient known as curcumin, which has been linked to the reduction of inflammation-driven diseases. In addition, it could help minimize the irritation and swelling that allergic rhinitis causes.

Even if the effect of turmeric on seasonal allergies has not extensively been studied, there are promising animal studies.

Turmeric can be in the form of pills, teas, or tinctures or it is eaten in foods. Regardless if you take turmeric pills or use it in cooking, you should be sure about choosing a product with black pepper or pair it with black pepper inside your recipe. Black pepper raises curcumin’s bioavailability by 2,000%.

Fatty Fish

You should put some sardines in your next pizza since fatty fish like mackerel or sardines keep allergy symptoms controlled. Omega-3 fatty acids found in seafood lowers inflammation in the body, which prevents swelling in the noses and throats when there is high pollen in the air.

Cold-Water Fish

An example of cold-water fish is salmon because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and it shows anti-inflammatory effects to help with allergy relief.

You can go to an allergy specialist doctor Germantown MD anytime to get more tips about foods to eat.