Spring Has Sprung! Here Comes The Pollen…
Spring is finally here, and though the days keep flipping between bitter winds, glorious sun, and dreary rain, the pollen persists! My household is a very atopic one - that’s the medical term referring to a genetic tendency to develop allergic diseases, like allergic rhinitis, asthma, and eczema - and so this time of year can be tough. My boys love playing outside, rolling in the grass and sliding in the dirt. Besides coming in with ruined clothes and dirty hands, they also sport constantly running noses, puffy eyes, and itchy skin!
Avoidance of allergens is near impossible for my family. I convince the kids to shower or bathe after playing outside to manually remove as much pollen/grass/etc as we can, and right after apply lotion to high yield eczema spots (usually elbows, knees, and behind the ears for us!). Nasal saline sprays or irrigation (like Neti Pot or Navage) is a safe non-medicated way to relieve allergy symptoms, though not something kids are always willing to let you do.
In terms of medications, there are generally three different pathways of attack to combat allergies. Over the counter allergy pills are usually antihistamines, like Loratadine and Cetirizine and Diphenhydramine. Some are more sedating than others, but all work to block histamine receptors. Histamine is the substance that is released during an allergic reaction and leads to most of the typical allergy symptoms.
Another pathway to combat allergies is using a nasal steroid spray to reduce inflammation. The inflammatory pathway is also activated with allergies, further producing reactions like swelling and hence nasal congestion. Nasal steroid sprays, like Flonase and Nasacort, are also available over the counter. Studies suggest that using a nasal saline irrigation prior to using a medication nasal spray can help it work better, which makes sense - flushing out all the dried crusted mucus will clear the way for the medication to reach the spot it needs to get absorbed.
The third pathway to combat allergies is via a medication called montelukast, or Singulair. This one is by prescription, and works by blocking leukotriene receptors, which are another type of inflammatory causing substance involved in the process of both allergies and asthma. This medication should be taken at night - not because it is sedating, but rather because it takes several hours to start working, so best to take at night so it’s at peak effect when you wake up the next morning!
Because all of these medications work differently, those with severe allergy symptoms can use them in combination to survive allergy season. If that doesn’t work, or you can’t tolerate them for some reason, then the next step is to the Allergist! Allergy shots, or immunotherapy, is a long process that requires a lot of dedication, but also has a lot of great success in the end.
Good luck to all my fellow allergy sufferers out there!
