Allergies can have devastating effects on one’s quality of life, impacting skin, eyes and airways in various ways. Living with them year-round can take its toll.
Many allergies are caused by pet dander, dust mites, mold or other allergens in our homes – which can all be managed through simple techniques.
Prevention
If your symptoms don’t subside when pollen counts decrease, and remain for months on end, this could be an allergy to indoor allergens such as pet dander, dust mites, mold spores or even cockroaches causing it. Many don’t realize their allergies may actually come from within their homes rather than the trees and grass outside.
As we spend much of our time indoors, homes can become breeding grounds for allergens that recirculate through heating systems. To reduce problems caused by this combination, it’s recommended that you keep animal numbers to a minimum, use dehumidifiers in damp areas, vacuum and wash floors regularly, and use deodorizers regularly in damp places.
Avoid plants known to aggravate allergy symptoms, particularly flowering ones that release pollen. Scented candles and stuffed animals in bedrooms should also be avoided as they can serve as dust collectors.
Your doctor can administer a skin test to identify which allergens are triggering your allergy symptoms. This procedure typically involves pricking different allergens onto the surface of the skin and waiting for any positive reaction; once identified, taking steps to lessen exposure becomes much simpler.
Medications
Dust mites, pet dander, mold spores and cockroach droppings can trigger allergies that lead to symptoms like itchy eyes, runny nose and sneezing, over time building up in the respiratory tract and leading to inflammation – something millions of people worldwide experience year-round symptoms from.
Indoor allergies differ from seasonal allergy symptoms like hay fever, which occur when trees, grasses and weeds release pollen into the environment. They typically appear during spring and summer seasons but can also manifest during autumn and winter seasons.
As soon as your immune system detects an allergen, it releases antibodies to attack it, leading to allergic symptoms. Medication can help mitigate these reactions; there are various kinds available – fast-acting decongestants and antihistamines provide quick relief from symptoms.
Sensitive reactions often require medications such as nasal sprays (steroids) and pills or liquids that treat allergies or asthma, including cromolyn and ipratropium for inhaling through nebulizer, montelukast as an inhibitor of leukotrienes (chemicals involved in some allergic reactions) and montelukast as a leukotriene inhibitor.
For allergies that persist even with proper avoidance measures in place, allergy shots may help alleviate symptoms and potentially prevent future reactions. Allergen immunotherapy involves receiving injections designed to desensitize your immune system to specific allergens.
Allergy Shots
Allergy shots are a series of injections designed to gradually build your tolerance to allergens that cause your symptoms. They are generally administered at your allergist/immunologist’s office, and patients must remain for some time after each shot to monitor any reactions such as redness, swelling or itching at the injection site as well as systemic reactions such as low blood pressure or difficulty breathing. Antihistamine medications taken prior to receiving allergy shots may reduce the risk of both local and systemic reactions.
Allergies shots may be appropriate for people whose symptoms are severe and who cannot avoid the allergens that trigger their allergies, or cannot take medication to control them due to interactions or side effects with other health conditions or side effects of other medicines, like beta blockers. Allergy shots should not be considered if you suffer from uncontrolled asthma, severe heart disease or taking beta blockers as these could alter their effectiveness significantly.
As part of allergy shots skin testing, small needles scratch the surface of your skin before injecting specific allergens to identify which ones cause symptoms. You could also get intradermal immunotherapy (IDIT), where liquid allergens are injected directly into one of your inguinal lymph nodes in the groin; we also offer ultrasound-guided intralymphatic immunotherapy (ILIT), where allergens are injected subdermally into different locations under your skin rather than directly into one inguinal lymph node.
Primary Care
As part of their initial steps toward managing allergies, patients should work with their primary care provider. He or she can educate on ways to limit exposure to allergens while offering recommendations for over-the-counter medication such as antihistamines, decongestants or nasal sprays that may help alleviate allergy symptoms.
If over-the-counter medication doesn’t provide relief or their symptoms worsen, they may refer patients to an allergist/immunologist for diagnosis and treatment. An allergist can use skin testing to pinpoint allergens such as pet dander, dust mites or mold spores; additionally they may perform blood tests to measure immunoglobulin E antibodies specific for certain allergens.
Allergies are caused by allergens that typically pose no direct health risk; instead they stimulate an immune response in those susceptible. This response manifests itself with symptoms like eye itching, watering, reddening and tearing; runny nose or congestion; sneezing; sinus pressure; throat clearing; chronic cough and worsening asthma symptoms.
Indoor allergens such as pet dander, mold spores and dust mites can trigger year-round allergy symptoms in kids and adults alike. While symptoms range from mild to severe, distinguishing mild reactions from more serious reactions like swelling, hives or anaphylaxis can be challenging; an allergist can provide expert care and treatment that ensures safety. For more information about managing allergies in relation to other health conditions please speak with your primary care provider or click below for the link.
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