Pollen allergies are so common that even local news reporters regularly update on the pollen count, particularly in spring, so that people affected by allergies know how bad of a reaction to expect.
Pollen is a very fine yellowish powder that is produced by flowering plants and is transported from plants by air, birds, insects, and other animals to fertilize other plants of the same species.
During travel from plant to plant, pollen is often inhaled by people. If the person is sensitive to pollen, this can cause several uncomfortable symptoms, such as sneezing, nasal congestion, and an itchy or runny nose.
If you experience pollen allergies and don’t find relief from over-the-counter allergy medication, keep reading to find out about treatments for pollen allergy.
Allergy Treatment – Pollen Allergy
There are generally two types of treatments for allergies – allergy medications, and allergy shots.
Allergy Medications
Over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medications can control your symptoms to a great extent.
Antihistamines –Antihistamines like cetirizine (Zyrtec) or loratadine (Claritin) work by blocking the effect of histamine, a substance that is released in your bloodstream when pollen enters your body. Histamines cause allergy symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes, so antihistamines counter these symptoms.
Nasal Corticosteroids – Nasal corticosteroids can also control your symptoms like an itchy and runny nose. Nasal steroids work by reducing the release of inflammatory mediators, preventing nasal hyperresponsiveness to the allergen and thereby cutting swelling, mucus, and congestion.
Decongestants – Nasal stuffiness can be temporarily relieved by decongestants like pseudoephedrine. Decongestants shrink the blood vessels in the nasal passage, which prevents the fluid from draining into the tissue lining of the nasal passage from the blood vessels, and thus prevents the accumulation of mucus in the nasal passage.
Allergy Shots
For some people, avoiding pollen and taking medications is enough to control allergy symptoms. However, if your allergies are bad and medication isn’t working as well as it once did, allergy shots may be a good option.
Allergy shots, or immunotherapy, drastically decrease your allergies by desensitizing your body to pollen. Allergy shots gradually modify your immune system’s response to the pollen and help reduce the severity of your allergic reactions.
During immunotherapy, your allergy doctor regularly administers a small but increasing amount of pollen in your body to train your immune system to gradually become tolerant to it. Over time, your immune system becomes immune to the pollen, and you’ll notice a significant improvement in symptoms and decreased reliance on your allergy medications.
Allergy Treatment in Weatherford TX
Whether you have pollen allergy or some other agent is the culprit of your allergies, visit us here at the Lung & Sleep Specialists of North Texas for the most comprehensive treatment for your allergies. Our clinicians are committed to effectively managing your allergies and allergic asthma so that you can regain a great quality of life. In addition to allergy treatment, we also offer treatment for your sleep problems, obesity, and much more.
To set up a private consultation with one of our allergy specialists, call us today at (817) 594-9993 or request an appointment here. We look forward to helping you enjoy springtime symptom-free!
