By RMHP
If you’ve been living with seasonal allergies for years, you’ve probably resigned yourself to sniffling and sneezing your way through spring. But do you understand why your allergies are so bad this time of year and why you can’t seem to shake them?
Here are 7 surprising facts about seasonal allergies, plus some tips and advice on how to manage your symptoms. Once you understand how allergies work, it becomes at least a little bit easier to find some relief.
We can develop new allergies at any point in our lives. If you already have an allergic reaction to a particular plant or other allergen that allergic tendency can pop up again and again (even if you’ve received allergy shots).
Even if you’ve never suffered from allergies before, don’t celebrate too soon — there’s always a chance you’ll be allergic to something new.
Every part of the world contains its fair share of allergens, it’s just a matter of which ones impact your immune system. Even if seasonal allergies have never been a problem for you before, moving to a new city could have you reaching for the Kleenex come spring.
Many think that they can rid their allergies by moving to a different location. Unfortunately, once you’ve developed allergies they are likely to return over time wherever you move. The first one to two years may seem allergy-free, but you’re likely not out of the clear. It is recommended that you eat your local farmer’s honey as it can help lessen your environmentally-related allergies in some instances.
Symptoms of allergies often feel similar to cold symptoms, but these two annoyances have very different origins.
The common cold is caused by a virus and your immune system kicks in to fight back. Allergy symptoms occur when your overactive immune system has a response to allergens. As a result, both afflictions have some key differences and you can learn more about them here.
The same allergens that trigger your seasonal allergies can also cause asthma symptoms. Wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing are all signs of allergies and allergic asthma.
If you have both seasonal allergies and asthma, it’s best to talk with your doctor about treatment options. Over the counter medications can help alleviate symptoms for a short time, but they don’t control asthma symptoms.
Sublingual tablets are taken once a day and dissolve easily under your tongue. You can take them right at home, making them a more attractive option if you don’t want to make regular doctor’s visits for allergy shots.
They work by introducing tiny amounts of an allergen into your system. Over time, your immune system becomes desensitized, and your reaction to the allergen − and therefore the symptoms you experience − is reduced.
From antihistamines to sublingual tablets, it’s always best to start early.
If your allergies are predictable, start taking daily antihistamines a week or two before your seasonal allergies usually kick in. For sublingual tablets, start a few months before allergy season. It might sound counterintuitive, but preventing allergy symptoms is much easier than getting rid of them once they’ve started on the seasonal sniffle assault.