spring allergies

Spring Allergies: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

The month of March marks the beginning of the spring season with all its warmth, beautiful greeneries and pollen! While some people think of honey when hearing the word ‘pollen’, some others start worrying about one of their enemies: Spring Allergies!

What are Spring Allergies?

Spring Allergy, also referred to as “hay fever” or “allergic rhinitis”, is when small pollen flies around originating from trees and weeds to fertilize other plants. When this pollen reaches the nose, eyes & lungs of an allergic person, it triggers the immune system that would consider this pollen as an “enemy” and sends his soldiers “antibodies” to attack and invade. This attack will trigger the release of histamines in the blood leading to the symptoms of spring allergies.

 

types-of-allergies

What are the common symptoms?

When you have spring allergies,  you most probably have the following symptoms:

  1. Runny nose
  2. Watery eyes
  3. Sneezing
  4. Coughing
  5. Asthma
  6. Itchy eyes and nose
  7. Dark circles around the eyes
  8. Wheezing
  9. Shortness of Breath

How do you know you have Spring Allergies?

When you start developing some of the symptoms, it will be wise to consult your doctor who will probably refer you to an allergist. The allergist will do the skin test to detect the presence of allergy. The test can either be made by pricking your skin with a small amount of allergen or even inject a very small dose of this allergen. If you do have spring allergies, a bump will form where the prick/injection was made. This red bump is called a hive.

Another test that could be optional is to have a blood test done to detect the levels of a certain protein (IgE) that is usually present in the blood of allergic people.

How to treat Spring Allergies?

It is always good to prevent the symptoms from appearing and turning them down with some saline water sprays. Of course, there is no magic in all this formula, and you might still end up having these symptoms out. The simplest treatments are both the saline nasal sprays and eye drops. Then comes the:

  • Antihistamines to help the sneeze and  itch
  • Decongestants administered orally (liquid syrup) to help congestion and swelling
  • Spray Decongestants administered through spraying in the nose. They help relieve congestion and clearing it faster than syrups
  • Steroid Sprays reduce inflammation.
  • Nasal Irrigation is when you mix pre-boiled water with salt, and a little bit of baking soda and irrigate your nasal
  • pathways. You use a squeeze bottle.
  • Eat onions, apples and black tea as they contain a component called quercetin that helps tone down the inflammation and the release of histamines.

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