White Paper – Allergy Relief
An allergic reaction is caused by your immune system reacting to a foreign substance that doesn’t cause a reaction in most people.
Substances that cause allergic reactions are
called allergens. Allergy symptoms are
caused by your immune system’s response
to a particular type of allergen.
Seasonal allergies, also called hay fever or
allergic rhinitis, affect around 20% of adults,
and 40% of children.
Common symptoms include sneezing,
runny nose, itchy eyes and throat, and
congestion.
The biggest allergy trigger is pollen, tiny
grains released into the air by plants.
Cat and dog dander allergies are also
common, and can be treated just like
seasonal allergies.
Treat Your Symptoms
- Antihistamines are one of the most
common and effective treatments for
allergy symptoms. They block your
immune system from fully reacting to
the allergen.- Non-drowsy antihistamines include
Allegra, Claritin, and Zyrtec. - Benadryl is a strong antihistamine
that also causes drowsiness.
- Non-drowsy antihistamines include
- If you are having troubles with nasal or
sinus congestion, there are several
Decongestant products that are available.- Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) is
available behind the pharmacy
counter. It shrinks blood vessels that
are responsible for congestion.
- Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) is
- Combination Products that include
Sudafed and antihistamines are
available behind the counter. The
decongestant will clear up your
sinuses, while the antihistamine
takes care of your other symptoms. - Decongestant Sprays such as Afrin or
Phenylephrine act directly on swollen
blood vessels in the nose. However,
these should only be used for 3-5 days,
or a common side effect called reboundcongestion
can occur. - Corticosteroids such as Nasacort and
Flonase are now available over the
counter. These sprays are very effective
at preventing allergy symptoms. But
they can take up to a week to start
working fully. - Nasal wetting agents such as saline
sprays or Neti pots can irrigate the
nose, and help remove mucous.