Understanding Tests and Treatments for Seasonal Allergies

April 9, 2023

There’s nothing you want more than relief from your pesky seasonal allergies! Each year you notice you get sick around the same time. As spring begins, flowers and vegetation start to bloom, creating a plume of pollen and other allergens that you end up breathing in. Coughing, sneezing, runny nose, congestion, eyes, nose and throat irritation and fatigue that wipes you out. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, tests and treatments could help improve your condition. Here is what you need to know about tests and treatments for seasonal allergies:

What Are Seasonal Allergies?

Seasonal allergies strike when allergens, a substance that you’re allergic to, enter your body. When this occurs, the body’s immune system sees allergens as dangerous and treats it as if it’s an attacker. After recognizing allergens, the immune system begins to release chemicals such as histamines, prostaglandins and leukotrienes which cause allergic reactions that make you sneeze or cough.

Seasonal allergies, also known as allergic rhinitis or hay fever, only happen at certain times of the year, typically when allergens like mold spores and pollen from trees, grasses and weeds are released into the air. These allergens eventually work their way into your body simply from breathing in the air.

Tests For Seasonal Allergies

Allergy tests are commonly completed on patients to find the root of their allergic reactions. Tests can help doctors see what specific allergens the patient is allergic to and help the provider offer up a specific treatment plan. There are 2 main types of allergy tests: skin tests and blood tests.

Skin tests are a safe and efficient way to find the cause of your seasonal allergies. A skin prick test checks for an immediate allergic reaction to as many as 50 different substances at once. The doctor pricks the surface of the skin and injects a small amount of suspected allergens. If the patient has an allergy to that specific allergen, the skin becomes inflamed, red and swollen at the spot of injection within 24-38 hours.

A blood test can be used to determine your specific allergies. Blood is drawn from the patient and sent to a lab where it is tested for allergens. Blood tests typically take longer to get results but can test for more allergies than a skin test can. Blood tests can reveal specific seasonal allergies plus perennial allergies and allergies to food, medications and insect bites.

Treatments For Seasonal Allergies

Several different treatment options are available for seasonal allergies.

Daily Hist is a blend of flavonoids, antioxidants, proteolytic enzymes and botanicals that provides much-needed support for seasonal challenges caused by allergens in our environment! Daily Hist works to support immune balance in individuals who are hypersensitive to allergens, supports sinus and respiratory health, promotes normal viscosity of mucus and helps to keep your nasal passages clear. Daily Hist Jr. is a similar product specifically created for children who struggle with seasonal allergies!

Over-the-counter medicine can help to relieve symptoms of seasonal allergies! Oral antihistamines like Allegra and Zyrtec can help with sneezing, itching, a runny nose and irritated eyes. Oral decongestants like Sudafed and Claritin-D can help you see improvement in sinus congestion and nasal stuffiness. Corticosteroid nasal sprays like Flonase and Nasacort work well to open up your stuffy nasal passages.

Allergy shots, or immunotherapy, are another great option to treat seasonal allergies. Immunotherapy is a great choice for those dealing with allergies directly linked to pollen. These shots work by slowly building up allergens in your system over time, so that your body adapts and learns to tolerate the allergens instead of experiencing those typical symptoms of seasonal allergies.

These tests and treatments could help you experience improvement in your seasonal allergies! Our team at The Compounding Pharmacy is happy to answer any questions you may have about your seasonal allergies!