While blooming flowers and green, leafy trees may be beautiful, the resulting pollen can quickly lead you to seek the help of an ENT doctor. In fact, studies show there is a strong correlation between high pollen count, during mid-spring, the sale of OTC allergy medications, and the number of visits to the asthma emergency department [1]. At Houston Physicians’ Hospital, we know that seasonal allergies are a common and frustrating problem, especially when symptoms become severe. We’ve listed some helpful tips that may increase the efficacy of your doctor provided treatment plan:
- Utilize OTC Allergy Medicine
Depending on a patient’s individual situation, prescription treatment may not be recommended by an ear, nose, and throat specialist (ENT doctor) to help alleviate allergy symptoms. However, there are a number of over-the-counter (OTC) medications that can provide quick and effective relief from seasonal allergies. These antihistamines work by blocking your body’s response to an allergic trigger. OTC nasal sprays are also used to assuage allergy symptoms, but they may take more time to alleviate symptoms than an allergy pill.
- Add Vitamin C to Your Diet
For an at-home remedy to alleviate allergy symptoms, adding a vitamin C supplement to the diet may help. A study was conducted to evaluate the role of vitamin C in the treatment of spring allergies. According to the results, high-dose vitamin C reduces allergy symptoms, even when no other allergy medication is used [2]. This vitamin works by reducing the quantity of histamine in the blood, which is responsible for the unpleasant symptoms that accompany allergies. Patients can add more vitamin C by consuming more citrus fruits and cruciferous vegetables.
- Limit Your Exposure to Allergens
On days where the amount of certain pollen you are allergic to is high, stay indoors as much as possible. This helps to limit your exposure to the allergen, so that allergy symptoms can be alleviated. This is also important because, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, constant and repetitive exposure to allergens may produce long-term changes in the structure of the affected organ and eventually may be responsible for loss of function [4].
While seasonal allergies may be common, they can be a serious problem if symptoms become severe. At Houston Physicians’ Hospital, we proudly provide the leading ENT doctors in Webster, Texas, to help patients find relief from seasonal allergies and other ear, nose, and throat issues. Call us at (281) 557-5620 or visit us at https://www.houstonphysicianshospital.com/contact-us/ to schedule an appointment.
References:
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4549916/
[2] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0300060518777044