Dr. Reynolds has several suggestions to help alleviate your allergy symptoms.
The spring and summer months are perfect for enjoying warmer temperatures, blooming flowers, and lush green grass, but if you’re one of the millions of people who suffer from seasonal allergies, it’s also a time for sneezing, congestion, and other symptoms that can make you feel miserable.
Unfortunately for those affected, allergy seasons are becoming longer and more intense in many areas of the country due to warming temperatures that cause plants to produce pollen earlier in the spring and stay around longer in the fall.
To get a handle on allergy season this year, we asked Dr. Kenda Reynolds, TriWest Healthcare Alliance Health Coach, to share some tips and resources to help those suffering from allergies.
Meet the Expert
Dr. Reynolds is a clinical
pharmacist with 20 years of inpatient hospital experience. She has spent the last five years working in the population health setting, and four years ago, she obtained her functional medicine certification. “I wanted to understand the root causes of disease states and combine that knowledge with my clinical expertise,” she shared.
She has deep ties to the Veteran and military communities as well. Her husband Bill retired from the Air Force in 2011, and she spent more than 20 years with military communities in the United States and Germany. “There were many PCS moves and deployments, deepening my military family support by learning to depend on each other,” she reflected.
Dr. Reynolds’s Recommendations for Allergy Season
Learn what symptoms to look for. Dr. Reynolds says that common colds and allergies can be differentiated by looking for key symptoms and their frequency. “Allergy symptoms usually do not cause a sore throat or fever, but can cause puffy eyelids, itchy eyes, and thin, clear mucus. A common cold often has a sore throat, cough, and thick yellow or green mucus.” In addition, she points out that cold symptoms usually last between three and 10 days, whereas allergy symptoms usually occur upon exposure to a trigger, like grass or tree pollen, and can last for several weeks.
Find a treatment that works for you. Dr. Reynolds has several suggestions to help alleviate your allergy symptoms. “Plain saline nasal spray is great to hydrate the nasal passages, loosen mucus, and flush out allergens,” she said. For people with more bothersome or ongoing symptoms, intranasal steroid sprays (like Flonase or Nasacort) are considered the most effective single treatment and are available over the counter. In addition, Dr. Reynolds suggests trying a second-generation antihistamine (like Zyrtec or Claritin) to relieve sneezing, an itchy nose, and runny eyes.” She adds that allergy sufferers can also look into intranasal antihistamine sprays (like Astepro). “Decongestant sprays or pills can help relieve nasal stuffiness in the short term, but nasal decongestant sprays should not be used for more than a few days in a row because they can cause ‘rebound’ congestion that makes stuffiness worse. Oral decongestants can raise blood pressure and should be used with caution,” she said.
Dr. Reynolds has a couple additional recommendations that go beyond medication that may provide relief for your allergy symptoms. “Some people try local honey for allergy relief,” she notes. While this should not replace proven treatments, as research studies have not found strong proof that it works better than a placebo, it is generally safe to try. In addition, allergy sufferers may want to try acupuncture to help relieve their symptoms. It is considered safe and may be worth trying if other treatments are not enough. Some research shows modest improvements for allergy symptoms, but experts have not been able to confirm that it reliably reduces allergy-related inflammation.
Look at your diet. Dr. Reynolds reminds us how much our diet can affect our overall wellness. “Eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables supports your overall health and immune system,” she notes. For example, certain antioxidants can have a powerful effect. “Quercetin is a natural compound found in foods like onions, apples, berries, kale, and broccoli.” Lab and animal studies suggest it may help calm the immune cells involved in allergies, and a few small human studies show possible benefits as well. However, more research is needed before it can be recommended as a reliable allergy treatment. Another aspect of a healthy diet is as simple as good hydration. “Staying well hydrated helps keep your nasal passages moist and may help thin mucus,” Dr. Reynolds noted.
Take a shower at night. “Pollen clings to our hair, skin, and clothing so a shower using soap and water after being outdoors is an easy way to help remove pollen from your skin and hair,” Dr. Reynolds said.
Avoid allergen triggers. “Prevention is key,” Dr. Reynolds put simply. If possible, avoid what triggers your symptoms. This may include staying indoors on high-pollen days (especially on dry, windy mornings when pollen counts are highest), closing windows in your home or the car, wiping down your pets after being outside, cleaning your floors and the surfaces in your home on a regular basis, and using air filters. Dr. Reynolds also recommends avoiding the use of heavy perfumes and fragrances in soaps, detergents, and lotions.
Get support. For many people, following these recommendations may be enough to ease allergy symptoms, but additional support is available. “If allergies are persistent with little to no improvement from conventional and/or holistic therapies, an allergist can help. An allergist or your provider may prescribe different medications if allergy relief cannot be obtained,” Dr. Reynolds said.
Additional information and support:
- American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
- Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
- TRICARE covers proven services and supplies needed to diagnose and treat allergies, such as allergy testing, office visits, prescription medications, and more.
- The Department of Veterans Affairs provides comprehensive allergy relief through clinical evaluations, allergy testing, treatments, prescription medications, and more.
Thank you to Dr. Reynolds for sharing her expertise. Here’s to feeling better this allergy season.