Allergies and Plants Come Alive in Springtime

With the arrival of spring, many of us are starting to venture outdoors to enjoy the warmth and sunshine. Whether that means cleaning up the yard for spring planting, enjoying youth baseball games or just going for a walk, being outside in the spring and summer months often triggers allergies in many people. But before you decide that the only solution is to stay inside all summer long, then consider the wide variety of treatment options available to you. Whether you would prefer home remedies, OTC allergy relievers or something even stronger, there is an option to take care of your allergies this summer.

Some easy home remedies include both supplements that can be taken, and measure to prevent allergy symptoms. Preventative measures include staying indoors when pollen counts are particularly high, such as in the mornings. They also include keeping the inside of your home as allergen free as possible, so that when you do come in, your symptoms should abate. This includes things like using HEPA filters, keeping pets regularly washed and off beds, and bathing daily to remove pollen from your hair and skin. Supplements and alternative remedies that have shown to improve allergy symptoms include Butterbur, Stinging Nettle, Quercetin and nasal irrigation through the use of Neti pots.

When measures such as these fail to alleviate your allergy symptoms, or if you prefer something more proactive to combine with these measures, then there are a variety of OTC medications available to allergy sufferers. These include products such as Benadryl, Claritin, Alavert, and Zyrtec, all of which block the release of histamine in the body. Nasal sprays are also effective at blocking the release of histamine, and also help alleviate the nasal symptoms of hay fever and other allergies.

There are also treatments that your doctor can give you, if your allergies are severe. These include nasal steroids, prescription antihistamines, leukotriene modifiers and allergy shots. No matter how tough your allergy symptoms are, there are treatments available to help. So if you are ready to get out and enjoy the spring weather, without worrying about allergies, then talk with your doctor about your best option for controlling your allergies.