If your allergies interrupt your everyday life, it may be time to talk to your doctor.
Spring is finally here, and many regions in the U.S. are beginning to thaw after a treacherous winter. Many of us are eager to get outside to welcome back warmer weather.
But if you’re one of 50 million Americans with , you might be dreading spring as much as others look forward to it. is the worst time of year for most allergy sufferers, although some regions experience allergy-inducing weather year-round.
For most people, seasonal allergies are not severe, and over-the-counter medications are sufficient to deal with occasional flare-ups of sneezing, watery or itchy eyes and runny nose. Even so, downplaying the condition can make it easy to ignore signs of serious allergies, such as chest tightness and difficulty breathing, which require medical attention. Knowing when to call your doctor about allergies can spare you some serious discomfort.
What’s Happening in Your Body
If you have seasonal allergies, your immune system responds to certain types of mold and pollen as though they were dangerous invaders to your body. And as a result, they become dangerous. Your body releases a flood of chemicals, including histamine, to fight off the invader once it enters.
“Warning signs of an allergy attack can be as common as a runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, itching and progress to much more serious symptoms like trouble breathing, tightness in the lungs and chest,” says Dr. Robert del Junco, medical director of the Nasal & Sinus Center at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, California. Symptoms may persist for up to an hour or so, subside, and then return a few hours later.
Taking an stops the effects of histamine so inflammation and other symptoms are curbed. Antihistamines work by binding to the same receptors as histamine on cells, thereby competing with histamine and blocking it from binding to cells.
Medication Options
are fine on occasion, but should not be abused and may be mildly addictive. “Long-term use often affects mental cognition, especially in the elderly. Confusion, inability to focus or concentrate and anxiety are some symptoms experienced, as are agitation, moodiness and impatience,” del Junco says. Depression, fatigue, hallucinations, nightmares and coordination problems may also occur with long-term use.
“Other medications like Nasacort, Claritin or Zyrtec are designed to be taken daily, especially during the season when your allergy symptoms are worse,” says Tonya Winders, CEO of the Allergy & Asthma Network. “If you’re taking more than two over-the-counter allergy medications or if you are on other prescription medications, it is important to talk with your health care professional or pharmacist." Some medications may interact badly and cause unintended side effects or internal damage, she says.