Frequently Asked Questions About Allergy Relief
Frequently Asked Questions About Allergy Relief
First, your doctor will figure out what you’re allergic to.
The doctor will examine you and take your medical history and your family’s allergy history. Then she may do a series of skin tests or a blood test to see what you have a reaction to. That will help decide which treatment you should take. Or she may suggest trying an allergy medicine that can help no matter what you're allergic to. Medicines can often help with your allergies to pollen, dust, perfumes, plants, or animal dander.
Are Allergies Cramping Your Sex Life?
Here's a wild guess: When an allergy attack hits and leaves you sneezing and itching, with teary eyes and a nose that is runny and stuffed, you probably aren't much in the mood for romance.It may sound obvious that drippy noses don't bring out the sex kitten in people. But for the first time, a study has looked at the impact allergies have on our sex lives and found that many people with chronic allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, often put the kibosh on sex when symptoms are flaring.This new piece...
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With allergies, your nasal passages and sinuses get inflamed when they’re exposed to triggers like pollen, animal dander, or dust mites. Steroid nasal sprays can be effective drugs for allergies, because they ease or end inflammation. It takes a while, though. You will probably feel better -- with less swelling and mucus -- within one to two weeks of starting a nasal steroid spray. You have to use it every day to keep feeling better.
Yes, over time. They help if you’re allergic to pet dander, pollens, dust mites, certain molds, and bee stings. They work by injecting tiny amount of what you’re allergic to under your skin. At first, you’ll get shots once or twice a week. Later you’ll get shots about once a month, for a period of years. Gradually your body gets used to the allergen and your symptoms get better.
Also, the FDA has approved three under-the-tongue tablets that can be taken at home. The prescription tablets, called Grastek, Ragwitek, and Oralair, are used for treating hay fever and work the same way as shots -- the goal is to boost a patient’s tolerance of allergy triggers.
Antihistamines and decongestants can make you less stuffy so you can breathe better. Antihistamines help sneezing, itching, congestion, and runny nose. Decongestants shrink blood vessels and keep fluid from leaking into the lining of your nose.
Some medicines have both antihistamines and decongestants. Be sure to read the label to understand the side effects.
9 FAQs About Allergy Relief
In this article
- 1. What will my doctor do to help my allergies?
- 2. How do steroid nasal sprays work?
- 3. Do allergy shots work?
- 4. What other medicines help?
- 5. What are allergy triggers, and how do I avoid them?
- 6. What's the difference between an allergy and an allergen?
- 7. What are some common allergens?
- 8. What if I have allergy symptoms just a few weeks a year?
- 9. Both my husband and I have allergy symptoms all the time. Will our baby have allergies, too?
1. What will my doctor do to help my allergies?
First, your doctor will figure out what you’re allergic to.
The doctor will examine you and take your medical history and your family’s allergy history. Then she may do a series of skin tests or a blood test to see what you have a reaction to. That will help decide which treatment you should take. Or she may suggest trying an allergy medicine that can help no matter what you're allergic to. Medicines can often help with your allergies to pollen, dust, perfumes, plants, or animal dander.
Recommended Related to Allergies
Are Allergies Cramping Your Sex Life?
Here's a wild guess: When an allergy attack hits and leaves you sneezing and itching, with teary eyes and a nose that is runny and stuffed, you probably aren't much in the mood for romance.It may sound obvious that drippy noses don't bring out the sex kitten in people. But for the first time, a study has looked at the impact allergies have on our sex lives and found that many people with chronic allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, often put the kibosh on sex when symptoms are flaring.This new piece...
Read the Are Allergies Cramping Your Sex Life? article > >
2. How do steroid nasal sprays work?
With allergies, your nasal passages and sinuses get inflamed when they’re exposed to triggers like pollen, animal dander, or dust mites. Steroid nasal sprays can be effective drugs for allergies, because they ease or end inflammation. It takes a while, though. You will probably feel better -- with less swelling and mucus -- within one to two weeks of starting a nasal steroid spray. You have to use it every day to keep feeling better.
3. Do allergy shots work?
Yes, over time. They help if you’re allergic to pet dander, pollens, dust mites, certain molds, and bee stings. They work by injecting tiny amount of what you’re allergic to under your skin. At first, you’ll get shots once or twice a week. Later you’ll get shots about once a month, for a period of years. Gradually your body gets used to the allergen and your symptoms get better.
Also, the FDA has approved three under-the-tongue tablets that can be taken at home. The prescription tablets, called Grastek, Ragwitek, and Oralair, are used for treating hay fever and work the same way as shots -- the goal is to boost a patient’s tolerance of allergy triggers.
4. What other medicines help?
Antihistamines and decongestants can make you less stuffy so you can breathe better. Antihistamines help sneezing, itching, congestion, and runny nose. Decongestants shrink blood vessels and keep fluid from leaking into the lining of your nose.
Some medicines have both antihistamines and decongestants. Be sure to read the label to understand the side effects.
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