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What You Must Know About Stress-Induced Asthma

If you are suffering from Asthma, you must know that it is a frightening feeling when you are unable to breathe. Some people’s anxiety and asthma go together. Most of the time, it is hard to unravel the connections between them. However, stress can also cause anxiety, but this article will talk about how stress and asthma symptoms go together.

When stress levels begin to go up, regardless of the reason, asthma symptoms can go overdrive. While the coughing and wheezing get bad, your health is one of the reasons why you should worry. Anxiety, stress, and asthma have a vicious cycle, and everything can quickly turn downwards. When this happens, contact your asthma doctor right away.

By reading this article until the end, you will learn more about this now.

Asthma – What is it?

Asthma is having shortness of breath and breathing difficulty because of inflamed airways. Asthma affects millions of people and it is one of the most chronic conditions that children have.

A lot of factors affect asthma, which includes genetics, allergies, and the environment. Your doctor will help you identify your triggers and learn how to master these irritants, calm them, or avoid them.

You need to understand the triggers because the triggers vary from one person to another.

Almost half of those with asthma have allergies, and you can control both conditions when you are aware.

How to Find Out if Stress Triggers Your Asthma Symptoms

The primary step is to know that you are stressed; sometimes people are unable to recognize these signs. Stress makes you feel irritable, more worried than you usually are, restless, teary, or have a hard time making decisions.

The second one is that stress levels can worsen your asthma even if sometimes you do not feel their connection.

You should write down when you are stressed and if it triggers your asthma symptoms. Keep a diary and write down why and when you are stressed together with the symptoms.

You are going to see patterns. For instance, maybe you have more asthma symptoms when you were moving, or your exams were coming up.

Managing Stress with Asthma

Stress is part of life – with or without it. Therefore, it is important to find the best ways to manage stress if you are suffering from a disorder. You need to relax before the stress happens so you can prevent shortness of breath and avoid an attack.

Change what is in your thoughts – You need to change your thought patterns that lead to stress. How you think, what you think, what you can expect, and what you must tell yourself most of the time to determine the way you feel and how good you are at managing stress levels.

Reduce the stressors around you – identify the stressors you have in your life like relationship problems, money problems, deadlines, grief, and not enough support. If you are unable to resolve these stressors, you must get professional help.

Daily exercise – You must exercise daily. Exercising when you have asthma is a great way to burn the accumulated effects that stress has so you stay healthy.

Sleep is powerful – When you have a chronic illness like asthma, you need a lot of sleep. If you are unable to sleep well because of nighttime asthma, your energy will go down and you will have fewer resources to cope with stress.

Stay away from stressful situations – Manage time effectively, like delegating when needed, pacing yourself, setting priorities, and resting.

These are the information you need to know about asthma. You can also contact allergy specialist Manassas VA.

Why is Asthma Worse at Night?

Having interrupted sleep makes you feel tired throughout the day, and it will have negative effects on your health in the long run. You do not want this to become regular because you need the energy to tackle daily challenges. When you wake up in the middle of the night because of a coughing fit or you are having a hard time breathing, the experience can get terrifying.

The unfortunate thing is that asthma patients have to deal with that, especially if they do not see their asthma doctor regularly. When your asthma gets worse at night, you are not alone because it is very common. Sometimes, experts call this nocturnal asthma, and it makes it very hard for you to get the rest you need.

Asthma Attack Triggers

People experience different asthma triggers. Some people get triggered due to allergens exposure like grass or dust mites. Other people are triggered by irritants like strong odors or chemicals. Respiratory illnesses that are accompanied by mucus drainages like sinusitis or colds increase the chances of an asthma attack. Weather changes and exercise can also trigger attacks. There are people who may discover that more than one thing increases the possibility of an asthma attack, and can worsen at night.

Factors that Contribute to Nocturnal Asthma

For some reason, asthma gets worse at night. This problem is serious and most deaths from asthma are because of wheezing or other symptoms at night.

The factors are:

Gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD)
Dust mites or other allergens
Overproduction of mucus
Higher level of histamine
Breathing in cold air
Lower epinephrine levels
Sleep apnea
Obesity
Not elevating the head while sleeping
Psychological stress

Nocturnal asthma can be caused just by seeping because the bronchial function changes. During sleep, the airways become narrow and it creates more resistance for air to come in and out of the body. This causes coughing, which further tightens the airways. After that, your sinuses will drain, and trigger asthma reactions. Therefore, breathing worsens between 4 to 6 hours after you sleep.

Other Causes

Postnasal drip – People are more prone to postnasal drip during the night. When you are laying down flat, fluid can easily drip down towards the back of your throat and causes you to start coughing. Lying down can also cause the fluid to flow from your legs to your chest, and this leads to more fluid accumulation in the airways and narrows down breathing passages.
Timing of Medication – If your asthma medication starts to wear off while you sleep, you are more likely to have nocturnal asthma.

Medication

Asthma specialists normally prescribe 2 primary medications: a long-term inhaler and a rescue inhaler. The asthma triggers are individual-specific, and people should consult with their asthma doctor to find the right care plan for them. A lot of doctors prescribe both kinds of inhalers.

Treatment

If your asthma attack wakes you up in the middle of the night, reach for your rescue inhaler. Sleeping in a more upright position is also helpful. Some people discover that drinking water eases a cough.

In case you have regular asthma symptoms during the night, talk to your healthcare provider to address the problem. It may be helpful to adjust the timing of your medication.

There are times when your healthcare might have to add or increase medication. Asthma can get worse in the long run, and if you have nocturnal asthma, your asthma care plan might need tweaking to eliminate the symptoms.

You can visit an allergist specialist Manassas VA as well to find the best asthma treatment plan for your nighttime symptoms.

How to Prevent Food Allergies

It has been known that asthma and allergies run in families, which makes children, where one or both parents suffer from allergies, are more prone to develop them. The good thing is that there are steps that can delay or prevent asthma or allergies.

The best way to prevent having to go to an allergist is to expose them to different foods early, instead of pushing them for later. This way, their bodies can get used to several kinds of food and will have no problem eating whatever they want in the future.

There are several ways mentioned in this article on how you can prevent food allergies in children. Read on now.

Read Food Labels

Today, food labels have information about food allergies written on their labels like if there are additives containing milk protein if it was from a facility that processes nuts, and wheat byproducts. You still have to read all food labels, every time, even if you bought so many items in the past. Manufacturers can frequently decide to change ingredients and allergens can be part of a new formula.

Do Not Give Actual Peanuts to Your Toddler or Baby

You should never give babies real peanuts or anything else that could make them choke. You can buy a snack for babies that has peanuts in it. You can add smooth peanut butter to your finger and give it to your baby. You can mix it into foods, or bake it into soft bread. Eggs can be mixed easily, and you can add small cooked egg pieces because they can be given to babies as well. There are plenty of ways to introduce them without giving them food in large pieces or are hard. You can ask your doctor how to do it.

Recognize the Symptoms

If you have a food allergy, it is important that you know how to identify the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction, especially when it comes to anaphylaxis. If you are able to spot the early signs of an allergic symptom, it can be life-saving. Here are the symptoms you should watch out for:

Eyes – Tears, itching, redness, and eyes are swelling
Skin – Redness, itching, red bumps, hives, rash, skin swelling
Upper respiratory – Sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, dry cough, hoarseness, and itching
Lower respiratory – Wheezing, chest tightness, cough, and shortness of breath
Mouth – Palate, itching, lips, or tongue swelling
Gastrointestinal – Reflux, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, bloody tools, or abdominal pain
Cardiovascular – Dizziness, low blood pressure, slow or rapid heartbeat, fainting, loss of consciousness
Other symptoms – Sense of “impending doom”, or uterine contractions

Start Solids Around 4 to 6 Months

You can introduce single-ingredient foods to your children like pears, apples, and bananas. Vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots and squash, and cereal grains.

Based on how ready your baby is, you can start to introduce new foods. You introduce them 3 to 5 days apart, so you can watch for any allergic reactions. Symptoms can include tongue swelling, itchy mouth or eyes, vomiting, hives, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, breathing difficulty, and anaphylaxis in worst cases.

You should not give food to your baby that you know they are allergic to. You cannot always know if your baby is allergic to something, but if you see eczema, blood in their stool, vomiting, rashes, or fussiness after any food they eat, you should consult your allergy doctor before starting any solid foods with them. You must also seek your doctor’s advice if both parents or any sibling has allergies to food.

You may book an appointment at the allergy center Germantown MD anytime.

How to Make the Most of Your Allergy Appointment

Maybe you tried to eat something new and after that, your body starts acting up causing you to vomit and break out into hives. Maybe you suspect environmental triggers such as pollen or dust are making you suffer from congestion. This will be why your doctor has referred you to an allergist.

The allergist will use your medical history and perform a physical exam to help point out allergies and figure out what triggers them.

If you need help in finding out what to expect during your first visit, you must read this article on what you can do so that your first appointment is not wasted.

What You Must Check Beforehand

You must speak to your allergy doctor to make sure that you do not have medications that might cause problems during your appointment.

That is because some medications interfere with others, especially antihistamines. Your allergist might ask you to stop taking certain medications for a few days before seeing going to your allergist for testing.

However, you must ask your healthcare provider before you discontinue any medications because you do not want to sacrifice one for the other.

Your Medical History and Symptoms

Your allergist is going to ask everything about your medical history. Aside from that, the specialist is going to assess any pre-existing conditions that you might have. People with asthma might have more complex and severe allergic reactions that require non-stop treatment.

In addition, observe where your symptoms occur. The signs you must look for are:

Raised skin spots (hits)
Wheezing
Difficulty breathing
Chest tightness
Swelling and inflammation of different body parts

The doctor might ask you different questions to support your medical history that is related to possible and common allergens. You can expect questions about your pets, environment, proven allergic reactions, and current medications.

Questions to Ask

Aside from writing down your symptoms, there are questions you need to ask.

What foods will I be tested for? Why?
What will the test results mean?
Do I require testing for this kind of allergy?
How can I determine and avoid the triggers of my allergies?
How serious are these symptoms?
What are the available food allergy management tools?
How can people best manage their food allergies?
What should be monitored after my visit?
When should I do a follow-up at the office?
Do allergies worsen over time or can they improve?

If your allergy is diagnosed, including asking questions about how to treat questions, and concerns about the side effects of medications.

Treatment Plans

Your diagnosis will tell you what the appropriate treatment is. Commonly, your allergy doctor will ask you to avoid things that can trigger your allergies. The doctor might also prescribe medications like antihistamines.

What Happens After

As part of the first assessment, your doctor might also check your skin, nose, throat, and lungs. If your diagnosis is related to food or airborne allergies, they will need to run tests after that.

You might be asked to undergo allergy testing. In case this happens, your skin will also be tested for any reactions to different substances. According to the results, your doctor is going to recommend a treatment, which includes:

Allergy shots
Prescription medications
Avoid certain triggers
Make some lifestyle changes to reduce your symptoms, especially if your triggers are food-related or because of some environmental factors.

In case your allergy symptoms do not go away with regular treatment, you might have to undergo immunotherapy.

If you need to find an allergy doctor Manassas VA, do not hesitate to contact them and book an appointment.

Surprising Things that Make Allergies Worse

If you have seasonal allergies, you most likely avoid triggers that cause itchiness, sneezing, and sniffling. However, even if you stay inside even on high-pollen days, there are some everyday habits that you might not think could be allergy triggers. They can wreak havoc on your allergies without being aware of them.

An allergist will tell you that you are not the only one who suffers from this because some of the everyday habits you do cause allergy reactions. There are seasonal allergies like they only come out during summer, spring, winter, or allergy to peanuts or cats is all-year-round. You need to limit exposure to allergens, and the symptoms can be treated by taking medication.

Here are some of the weird or surprising things that make allergies worse.

Clothes

Pollen can easily get stuck to the fabric, and after you spend a day outside, you are bringing those irritants at home. You will spread them to your bed, couch, and other parts of your home. If you want to keep the pollen from proliferating, you must change your clothes right away once you get home. You can also shower before bed to remove pollen from your skin and hair.

Your Shoes

If you have a rash or poison ivy after you wear leather shoes, there is a possibility that you are allergic to chemicals that are used in leather tanning. This kind of allergy is known as “contact dermatitis”, and a patch test can diagnose it. Contact dermatitis is a general term for the usual skin conditions that are caused by contact with allergens or irritants.

Red Wine

A glass of red wine might be good for unwinding, but it will not help with your allergies. Alcohol causes your blood vessels to widen, which causes a runny and/or stuffy nose. That is because alcohol is a vasodilator. Alcohol aggravates allergy and wine has an extra punch because of the sulfites it contains that cause some people to have a reaction. Red wine is high in sulfites, and fermented red grape skins have protein allergens.

Exercise Allergy

This kind of allergy was only reported 1,000 times since it was discovered in the 1970s. Exercise allergy causes urticaria, hives, but it can cause anaphylaxis in more severe cases. Anaphylaxis is a dangerous condition when your blood pressure suddenly drops and you will have a hard time breathing. There are 2 kinds of exercise allergies. One that occurs after you eat food within 2 hours after exercising, and the other one happens if you do not eat food. If you experience either one, you should stop your exercise, but you can prevent the food-related type by not eating anything before exercising.

Not Going to the Gym

It is difficult to find motivation when you feel like your face is about to explode, but working out brings some allergy relief. That is because of the stress hormones you release during exercise, and the blood vessels calm down so you can breathe better. This effect is only temporary, but you will get a break from congestion – together with the other benefits of exercise.

Swimming Pools

Chlorine dries out skin and irritates the airways of people with allergies like coughing, congestion, and itchy skin. Luckily, your allergy doctor can help you manage these symptoms so you can still go swimming whenever you like. Avoiding the pool because of your allergy is not the only solution, so make sure to ask your doctor what you can do.

You should go to an allergy specialist doctor Germantown MD if you want to manage your symptoms that are interfering with your everyday life.

Benefits of Allergy Testing

When you have allergies that means your immune system is overreacting you have touched or inhaled as you enjoyed an outdoor activity or in your home. Even having a carpet in your bedroom or taking aspirin are allergic reaction triggers that cause you to have symptoms like swelling, itchiness, vomiting, difficulty breathing, and other symptoms.

Going to an allergy clinic to get tested is important and you should know that it is very simple. It is performed by blood or skin testing, and when combined with physical education and medical history, the doctor can pinpoint what you are allergic to.

Read on.

Helpful in Managing Diets

It is hard for parents to handle a child’s diet if they fear allergic reactions. In most cases, the reason is that the food group is taken out from their daily diet. When you remove a lot of food items, it means that nutrients and vitamins are neglected, they can impact the health of a child. This is a prevalent issue when self-diagnosis of allergies are given.

You Will Have an Effective Treatment Plan

There are different medications and treatment options that allergy sufferers experience like allergy shots, immunotherapy, or avoidance. Accurately diagnosing an allergy, together with insights into any medications you are currently taking allows your allergist to prescribe the right treatment program.

Differentiate Intolerance and Allergy

When you can differentiate between food intolerance and food allergy, it gives you assurance that your treatment plan will be the right one. Intolerances happen hours or sometimes even days after you have consumed the food, and that causes digestive problems. In contrast to this, there is an allergic response that quickly occurs and that is triggered by releasing the antibodies. After you come from a consultation, the food allergy doctor will do tests to confirm them.

Lifestyle Changes

If you have severe food allergies, you might have to start alternating your food so you can avoid more food problems. If you suffer from insect allergies, there is an EpiPen you can use to protect yourself. If you are allergic to dust and pollen, you will be able to control everything around you. In case you have nut allergies, you will know that you have to avoid eating foods that might have the kind of nuts and oils that might cause you to have a reaction. If you are allergic to pets, you will stay away from that animal. In case you are allergic to shellfish, you would have to pay attention to any kind of salad or seafood you are about to consume. The allergy test will show what you must do.

Improves Your Everyday Life

It can be difficult to manage a food allergy, but it is a lot worse if you have limited knowledge of the triggers. When you know which foods will cause a reaction, you can be comfortable without having a lot of concerns. Children are able to attend school events, birthday parties, and other functions that do not cause fear. At the same time, teachers and other parties responsible will know about your dietary requirements.

Find Out if You Need to Change Your Eating Habits

When you undergo allergy testing, you will know which foods are causing digestive issues or outbreaks that cause something like a gluten allergy. You might have to avoid foods with gluten.

Go to an allergy center Manassas VA to get tested and find out what you need to avoid.

Facts About Seasonal Allergies

In case you have seasonal allergies, and have been living with them for many years, you most likely experienced sneezing through the season. It is important for you to call an allergy doctor and have them prescribe you medicine regularly. Your activity should be monitored so that your allergen exposure is limited. However, are you aware that thunderstorms can cause allergy symptoms to appear?

If you are unaware of the other surprising facts about seasonal allergies, you need to read this article to know more about them. You might even be surprised what some of them are.

Read on.

Seasonal Allergies Do Not Normally Last the Whole Year

Seasonal allergies arise when they emerge from plants that produce pollen, like in springtime and they wane during the time when those plants die off during the growing season. However, is not just the time when those that produce pollens emerge. There are trees that do not produce pollen until it is summer, and some weeds might not have flowers until fall. In some states with temperate climates, like southern California, some plants might produce pollen all year.

Moving Will Not Really Cure Allergies

A lot of people think that they can rid of allergies when they move to another location. The unfortunate thing is that once you develop allergies, they will most likely return over time wherever you go. You might think that the first 1 to 2 years will be allergy-free, but you are still not clear. You can eat farmer’s honey because it can decrease allergies that are environmentally free in some situations.

There is No Such Thing as “Hay” or “Fever”

For many decades, people have called allergies “hay fever”, but pollen is not produced by “hay”, and fever does not come from seasonal allergies. The truth is that seasonal allergies are because of the body’s overreaction to common pollens lingering in the air. When these pollens are inhaled, the immune system sees them as a danger and it attacks them aggressively, which causes a runny nose or itchy eyes. With the “hay fever”, the term arose during the early 1800s and it might have referred to a lung infection because of inhaling dust while they stack hay.

Allergy Changes While We Age

New allergies can develop at any point in your life. If you already have an allergic reaction to a certain plant or other allergens, there is a tendency that it will happen again and again even after you received shots.

Despite suffering from allergies in the past, there is a chance that you will be allergic to another one.

Controlling Your Environment May Control Your Allergy Symptoms

A lot of people think of allergy treatments are given in pills, shots, or nasal irrigation. You should not overlook how valuable it is to keep your living environment pollen-free. In order to do this, some allergy doctors talk about taking steps in the allergy season, like removing shoes and outwear before they enter houses. When you wash and shower once you are home, it can rinse off pollen from your body. Outdoor pets attract pollen, and around the house, you should use blinds or shades instead of drapery or fabric. Your doors must be kept shut during the allergy season.

If you are suffering from seasonal allergies, you should consult with an allergist Manassas VA to help you manage the symptoms.

What Exactly is Food Allergy Testing?

Before you make any changes, seeing an allergy specialist is important so that you can see what you must avoid. When you see an allergy doctor, they can give the proper diagnosis so you will know what to expect and prevent it from happening if you eat a certain food.

Food allergies should not be taken lightly and sometimes they continue to adulthood. In addition, some people develop food allergies during their adulthood. If you are allergic, your immune system will react to the food if it is dangerous for you.

Here is more information before getting a good allergy test.

What You Can Expect

Many people are nervous about food allergy testing if they are unaware of what it is like to have it done. They worry that the test is scary and painful, but that is not the actual case and the reality is that it is actually more comfortable than you think. It is a lot faster than what people expect because you only need 1 minute to complete the actual test.

During the test, they will press an applicator against your back that has multiple points exposing your skin to different antigens. However, it is not an indication that you will be done in 5 minutes. You have to wait for your test results and discuss what food you are allergic to.

Aside from that, the testing application consumes very little time, but the staff wants you to be in the office so they can watch out for any reactions.

The Difference Between Food Allergy and Food Sensitivity

This is something that an allergy specialist must discuss with you because there is confusion between them. The symptoms overlap, but the symptoms dramatically vary. Food sensitivity indicates that your body has a hard time digesting certain food. In general, symptoms are limited to problems with digestion, and that includes abdominal pain, gas, nausea, and diarrhea.

The common causes include enzymes in dairy, lactose, monosodium glutamate (MSG), flavor enhancer/s, FODMAPs, and gluten which can cause food sensitivity to people.

An immune system reaction to a food allergy that impacts various organs can cause dangerous symptoms.

How You Can Prepare for a Food Allergy Test

What you must do before going to an allergy specialist doctor for your test is to relax before that. It is a very simple process and after you are done, you can rest properly knowing that you are on your way to removing any dangerous and annoying symptoms linked to certain foods you eat.

You can have your nurse practitioner or gastroenterologist write a numbing cream prescription for you.

When you apply the cream on your back before the test helps reduce the itch you feel from the antigens you were exposed to. The cream also reduces the prick you feel from the applicator points, but the majority of people do not feel pain.

Sings that You Might Require a Food Allergy Test

Tingling in your mouth or throat after eating
Itchy skin or hives
Swelling of the face, lips, throat, or tongue after eating
Trouble breathing, wheezing, or nasal congestion
Digestive problems or abdominal pain
Fainting, lightheadedness, or dizziness after eating
Persistent eczema

If you have severe food allergy reactions, you need emergency care as soon as possible. You should schedule a test at an allergy clinic Manassas VA right away to prevent it next time.

How Do You Fend Off Allergies?

Do you regularly get sick in spring due to seasonal allergies, and you don’t want it to be the case this year? According to allergy specialist doctors, there are plenty of ways you can protect yourself.

How do you fend off allergies? Here are some of the ways to go about it:

Stay indoors

Seasonal allergies come about due to exposure to pollen and other allergy-causing materials, and one of the best ways to stay away from them is to stay indoors.

Since you will be spending a lot of time in the house during the allergy season, you should ensure that the surface is clean and allergy-proof. Some of the things you can do to make the house allergy-proof include:

Remove the carpets and rugs and leave the floor bare. When you do this, you remove the areas that the allergy-causing pollen can adhere to and bring about allergies.

Clean the house regularly and keep the knickknacks and houseplants to a minimum. This is to remove any pollen that might have entered the house. Removing the plants gets rid of surfaces the pollen can adhere to and worsen your allergies.

Keep the pets in the house and prevent them from going outside as much as possible. When the pets are indoors, keep them off the furniture and bedroom. This is because they might have collected allergy-causing materials.

Clean your bedding and clothing with hot water at least once a week.

For the pillows and mattresses, go with anti-allergen covers.

Eat the right foods

The reason you are getting sick is that your immune system is misbehaving. The good news is you can correct it by taking the right foods that will strengthen it.

As a rule of thumb, avoid excess sugars as they can take a toll on your system and weaken you.

Some of the best foods to take are foods rich in vitamin C. These include: oranges, carrots, broccoli, and leaf vegetables.

Sometimes allergies come about due to inflammation in the body, and you can correct it by maintaining a healthy gut by eating anti-inflammatory foods and probiotics. You can also add ginger and turmeric to the foods and drinks to boost your immunity.

Raw, local honey has also been found to be highly effective at fighting off allergies, so you should find it and take it. Local honey is an effective antidote because it contains pollen that the bees have been pollinating, and by introducing it into the body, you train the immune system on how to fight the symptoms.

Adjust your home humidity

Mold is a known leading cause of indoor allergies, so if you have been indoors all the time and you are having allergy symptoms, this is most likely due to mold. Mold thrives in moisture, so to control it, you need to reduce the moisture levels in the house.

Two of the best ways to go about it is to use an air conditioner or dehumidifier. For the best outcome, keep the home humidity levels close to 50%. To ensure that you are maintaining the right moisture levels, use a hygrometer.

Besides using the dehumidifier and air conditioner, clean the water spills promptly, replace the air filters, and fix any leaks as soon as you notice them.

Get rid of rats and cockroaches.

Allergy doctor Manassas VA reports that cockroaches are a common cause of allergies and asthma especially in children so if you have roaches in your house, you should strive to get rid of them as much as possible. You can try getting rid of water and food sources for the roaches or seek professional services to get rid of them.

Types of Seasonal Allergies and How to Deal With Them

Seasonal allergies are one of the most popular types of allergies, and they are characterized by cold-like symptoms such as sneezing, congestion, and runny nose. While the allergies are grouped in one, you should note there are many types of seasonal allergies you can suffer from. The most common ones as given by allergy specialist doctor include:

Spring allergies

These allergies result from pollen from the trees, and they start pollinating from January to April, depending on your location and climatic conditions.

The most common trees that bring about spring allergies include: ash, olive, elm, oak, maple, walnut, cypress, sycamore and others.

Summer allergies

The leading cause of summer allergies is grass pollen. Besides the usual sneezing and coughing, many people have reported developing itching and hives due to coming into contact with the grass during the allergy season.

Fall allergies

Weed pollen is the main cause of fall allergies. Depending on your location, these weeds will include: pigweed, tumbleweed, sagebrush, ragweed, and cocklebur.

How do you deal with seasonal allergies?

You can’t control the fact you are allergic to tree, weed or grass pollen, but you can adopt several strategies that will help you keep the seasonal allergies under control. Some of these strategies include:

Reduce your exposure to the allergy triggers

This is probably the most effective way to bring the condition under control. To reduce your exposure to the elements, you need to:

Stay indoors during the dry, windy days and only go outside after a good rain. At this time, the pollen count in the air is less, so you have fewer chances of developing allergies.

Most homeowners mow their lawns on Saturdays. However, you should consider hiring a lawn mowing company during the allergy season to help with the mowing instead of doing it yourself. If you can’t afford to hire a professional, let the grass grow and cut it once the season is over.

Do you love riding the bike or jogging in the evening or early in the morning? Don’t do it during the allergy season. Instead, you should switch from working out outdoors and exercise in the house. One great way to go about it is to invest in a stationary bike.

Keep the indoor air clean.

Since you will be avoiding going outside to avoid coming into contact with the harmful pollen, you should ensure that no pollen is coming into the house from the outside. And the beauty of it is that it’s possible to do it.

One of the things you should do is to use a high-quality air conditioning system.

If you have a forced-air heating and air conditioning system in your house? Use high-efficiency filters that will filter as much debris from the air getting into the house as possible, so you only have fresh air getting in.

For even better air quality, have a portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter in your bedroom.

You also should regularly clean your house with a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.

Use medications

If you do the above and still the symptoms catch up with you, try to control the condition using medications. Thankfully, there are many types of medications you can go with. The most common ones are:

Oral antihistamines: These will help relieve sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose.

Decongestants: Oral decongestants such as pseudoephedrine provide temporary relief from nasal stuffiness.

Nasal sprays: The most popular nasal spray you can use is Cromolyn sodium. For best results, start using it before the symptoms kick in.

Combination medications: Here, you need to check into an allergy clinic Germantown MD, and the allergy doctor will prescribe several drug combinations such as antihistamines and decongestants.