Allergies can affect the skin, nose and eyes as well as cause wheezing. Allergies are caused by substances which trigger an immune response in your body.
Indoor allergens like pet dander, dust mites and mold spores can trigger symptoms like itchy watery eyes, sneezing and sinus congestion. Medication or cleaning your home may help alleviate symptoms.
Medications
Allergy medications available both over-the-counter (OTC) and by prescription can effectively address allergy symptoms like sneezing, itching and runny nose. They’re particularly useful during seasons when outdoor allergens, like tree pollen, grass pollen and ragweed pollen are prevalent.
Over-the-counter allergy medications include antihistamines, decongestants and nasal steroids that reduce inflammation and congestion while relieving itching and itchy eyes. Some individuals may require prescription medication in order to effectively manage indoor allergies.
Skin tests can help determine whether you are sensitive to specific substances, like mold spores or pet dander. Your allergist will prick the surface of your skin with extracts of these substances and observe any reactions; an allergic response (i.e. a raised welt) indicates an allergy.
Medication may help alleviate indoor allergies, but they won’t cure them completely. Along with taking medication, make sure your home is free from allergens by switching out carpet for hardwood flooring and using “mite-proof” cases on mattresses and pillows; washing your pets frequently and grooming them frequently to reduce dander and saliva production; keeping a journal when your symptoms flare up, noting potential allergen exposure points as this information will allow your allergist to customize a treatment plan tailored specifically to you.
Allergy Shots
Allergy shots can help desensitize your immune system to allergens, decreasing or eliminating allergy symptoms. They are effective against pollens from trees, grasses and weeds, molds and mildews, animal dander from fur or hair as well as insect stings; and can decrease dependence on allergy medicines that may have unpleasant side effects.
Allergy shot treatments are tailored specifically to each individual patient. Treatment typically consists of two parts, including the build-up phase and maintenance phase. In the build-up phase, an allergist injects small doses of allergens at regular intervals (usually weekly or bi-weekly) over an estimated three- to six month period, gradually increasing concentration over time as your body becomes tolerant of them.
Injections contain a diluted form of the allergen that triggers your symptoms combined with a saline solution to keep the needle from irritating the skin. If you experience local reactions (e.g. asthma flare-up, hives or itching at injection site), inform your allergist/immunologist immediately. It is especially important if you have had severe allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis to an allergy shot in the past; or any condition which increases your likelihood of serious reactions like severe asthma attacks not controlled with medications prescribed medications – so it’s vital that any serious reactions get noticed quickly.
Air Filtration
Allergens such as dust mites, pet dander and mold spores can aggravate allergy symptoms in your home and aggravate them further by passing through dirty filters into the airstream. Air filtration systems provide an effective tool in combatting indoor allergens while improving air quality.
Upgrade to a high-efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) filter can dramatically decrease allergy flare-ups. A HEPA filter contains larger media fibres that attract small particles, trapping them against its larger filter surfaces until clogs form on it and force off these smaller particles, either back into your air, surfaces around your house, or into pockets of dust in furniture.
Maintaining regular filter replacement will reduce seasonal allergens from entering your home, so the best way to keep it clean is to do it at least once every month.
Air filtration can provide significant relief to allergy symptoms, but it should not be seen as the only solution to your allergies. You must address their source – mold spores, animals or dust mites for example – too. If you suffer from hay fever symptoms regularly then investing in an air filter could make life easier as this smart device can be controlled with smartphones or voice assistants and comes with its own app which monitors air quality as well as notifications when changing filters is needed.
Allergy Testing
Tests conducted by board-certified allergists (also referred to as immunologists) can give valuable information about what triggers your allergies, which in turn allows you to reduce exposure to it and significantly improve symptoms.
Allergies result when your immune system misidentifies certain substances such as pollen or pet dander as threats and overreacts by producing histamines that lead to symptoms like an itchy, runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing – hallmarks of allergic reactions. Allergy testing can tell you exactly which substances your body is allergic to as well as the intensity of any reactions it triggers.
Your allergist may suggest skin prick tests, in which small amounts of allergens are applied directly to the back or arm and, if exposed to something you are allergic to, will become red and swollen (known as “wheals”). Your allergist can then measure this reaction’s size to assess how severe it is.
Your allergist may also recommend more in-depth and sensitive tests called intradermal testing. Your physician will inject small doses of allergen into either arm or back using an ultrafine needle; to prepare for this test, antihistamines and H2 blockers (stomach acid reducers) must be discontinued at least three days before your appointment date.
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