For many allergy sufferers, fall can be a difficult time. As the leaves start falling, the symptoms of allergies are triggered. Many patients come to me unsure if their symptoms are merely their allergies flaring or if they have an infection. So, how we tell the difference?
Allergy Symptoms:
-runny nose
-sneezing
-watery, itchy eyes
-nasal and/or sinus congestion
-coughing
-headache
-fatigue
-wheezing
-itchy skin
Cold Symptoms:
-watery, nasal discharge
-sneezing
-cough
-fever
-fatigue
Cold symptoms usually start quickly and are over within a few days. Allergy symptoms can creep up more gradually and last for weeks. As you can see, many of the symptoms can overlap and it is not always easy to distinguish between the both of them. Whenever there is any doubt, that is the time to see your doctor. There are signs on physical exam that can differentiate between allergies and an infection.
If you do have allergies, what can you do? It is not always necessary to see your doctor when symptoms flare up. Some things you can try at home:
-try an over-the-counter anti-histamine, such as Claritin, Allegra, or Zyrtec. These may not start working immediately so should be taken consistently for several days.
-Saline nasal and sinus rinses can help. These help clear out mucous that may be making the symptoms worse. It is important to use only purified water. There have been a few reported cases of patients who have contracted fungal meningitis from using tap water. If you use them as exactly directed, they are safe and a good aid at relieving symptoms.
-Nasal steroids can also help if your symptoms are mostly in your nose. It helps reduce inflammation in the nasal passages.
-If you are allergic to pollens or grasses, keep the windows closed. Run the air conditioner if needed. Having open windows allows the pollens to enter the home and accumulate.
-Use a humidifier. Often the nasal passages get dried out from the symptoms and this can worsen the congestion. By keeping a humidifier going, it can reduce this.
-If you are allergic to dust mites, get the special hypoallergenic pillow cases. This helps keep the dust mites away from your face. It is also worthwhile to use hypoallergenic sheets for the same reason. Frequent vacuuming is important. If it is not cost-prohibitive, replace your carpets with hardwood floors.
-Watch the pollen reports. Know when the pollen counts are going to be the highest. Avoid going outdoors during those times.
For the great majority of allergy sufferers, these methods will control the symptoms. However, when these things fail, it is time for a visit with your doctor. Your doctor may place you on a combination of medications. Additionally, if it is unclear what are causing your allergies, you may need to have allergy tests done to determine this. Also, when symptoms do not respond to medications, allergy testing can be done so allergy injections can be started. These are a serious of injections to help boost your immune system against the things causing your allergies. This is a slow process and requires weekly (or sometimes alternative schedules are used) injections for many months.
While allergies are not necessarily a life threatening ailment, it makes its victims quite miserable. Effective treatments are available. And if there is ever any uncertainty, just ask your doctor.
