What causes my allergies to act up?
Allergies happen when your body’s immune system reacts to certain substances as though they are harmful. Allergies can be frustrating and challenging to treat. People often experience their allergy symptoms as a constant barrage of discomfort. However, there are ways to treat allergies and manage allergy symptoms. Keep reading to learn about four reasons your allergies aren’t improving.
If you have allergic reactions or allergy symptoms, some substance to which you have been exposed has triggered those symptoms. The substances to which your body reacts in this way are called allergens. When exposed to allergens, your body creates unique proteins, called antibodies. to fight them. The symptoms of allergies come from these antibodies.
You can be allergic to a wide variety of allergens. The different types of allergens are:
Allergy symptoms can include watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, or skin irritations like rashes and hives. You can also experience trouble breathing or swelling in your throat. Allergies can manifest differently in different individuals depending on the cause and severity of the allergy.
Avoid your allergens.
The best way to not have allergy symptoms is to avoid your allergens. While this may sound easy, it can be challenging. For example, it is impossible to completely avoid exposure to mold or dust.
However, you can do things to reduce the likelihood that you will come across both of these allergens. Perhaps avoiding going into older houses or basements might be a good place to start. Remember to carry your allergy medicines with you in order to be able to treat your symptoms should they appear.
Stick with your medications.
A huge source of misunderstanding surrounding allergy medications is the time that they take to work. This is specifically true about the time frame that nasal steroids take to work. Many people think that a nasal steroid should work within thirty minutes of using one.
In reality, nasal steroids work best over more extended periods. Instead of quickly reducing the inflammation in your nasal passages, they help your nasal passages become less sensitive to your allergens for up to two months.
Even if you feel your allergy medication isn’t doing anything, you must give it the appropriate amount of time to see if it will work for you. Patience will allow you to understand precisely how to treat your allergies. Be sure to ask your doctor how long it takes for any given medication to work so that you can adequately assess every medication prescribed for you.
Find the best combination of medications.
Certain allergy medications can combat specific allergy symptoms. Therefore, you should pick the medication that alleviates the most prominent symptom for you. If, for example, you are experiencing wetness or itchiness in your nasal passage, you may want to seek out an antihistamine.
However, if your nasal passages are dry, taking an antihistamine will aggravate that symptom. To truly address your symptoms, you need to understand the most glaring symptoms and learn the medications or treatment plan that is best to treat them. The process might take some time and require working closely with a doctor or specialist but can be ultimately very helpful.
You might need surgery.
In severe cases, you may need to get surgery to help with your allergy symptoms. Over time, the swelling inside your nose can close up your sinus openings, cause damage to your sinus tissue, create growths called polyps, or you could simply have structural problems that prevent your nose from being able to drain.
Surgery can help open up your sinus openings or remove damaged tissue and polyps. Both reduce your chance of getting sinus infections and allow you to use sinus medications more easily.
Surgery does not cure allergies. It simply allows your nasal passages to function better. Surgery can be beneficial for some people and should only be done under the guidance of a doctor who has been treating you for a long time.
