Everyone looks forward to spring. It’s everyone’s favorite season, but it’s also the season for spring allergies. Plants release pollen, and people start sniffing and sneezing. Welcome to allergy season! There is no permanent cure, but there are ways to survive spring allergies.

What Causes Spring Allergies?

The biggest sneezing trigger is pollen. Unfortunately, it is everywhere during springtime. Trees, shrubs, grasses, weeds – they all release small grains that get in the air and into your nose, which then triggers sneezing and sniffling.

Your immune system sees these pollens as dangerous, so the body tends to release histamines, a type of antibody, to fight off these allergens. This triggers itchy eyes, a runny nose, and other allergy symptoms.  

Pollen, once released from trees and plants, can travel for miles. This means the culprit is not just the plants in your area, but those from other neighborhoods as well. Pollen counts are particularly high on windy days, and the wind blows the pollen away to long distances.

What are the Symptoms of Spring Allergies?

The symptoms of allergies include:

• Runny nose
• Watery eyes
• Sneezing
• Coughing
• Itchy eyes and nose
• Dark circles under the eyes

Best Remedy for Spring Allergies

If you are suffering from severe allergy symptoms, you may want to consult with an allergist for tests. The specialist may perform a skin test, which may involve either pricking the surface of your skin with a small amount of allergen or a small amount of diluted allergen under your skin. If you are allergic, this may create a small red bump, which indicates an allergy.

Over-the-Counter Allergy Treatments

There are a lot of medicines that can help relieve the symptoms of spring allergies. These medicines include:

• Antihistamines, which help reduce itchiness and alleviate sneezing and sniffling. This helps reduce the amount of histamine in your blood.
• Decongestants, which help shrink blood vessels in your nasal passageways. They help relieve congestion and swelling.

When combined, these medications offer the effects of both drugs. When it comes to relieving congestion, nasal spray relieves clogged nasal passageways faster than oral medicines. You might want to take eye drops to help with itchy and watery eyes.

You can buy these medications without prescriptions. Antihistamines can cause grogginess or sleepiness, so be careful when taking them during the day. These medicines can interfere with work or day activities.

If you are suffering from spring allergies, you might want to talk to your doctor if you need to take these medications for more than a few days. You might need more than just the over-the-counter medications that you can buy from Carolina Pharmacy.

If you need to refill your allergy prescription, contact us today.