Allergy Testing And Symptom Relief

Getting Seasonal Allergies Diagnosed

Have you noticed that you tend to get the symptoms associated with seasonal allergies during spring time, when pollen make their appearance? Allergy relief comes in many forms, and some people prefer to use natural treatments. Despite the fact that you may never need prescription medication, you could still benefit from being tested for allergies. 

Seeing your family doctor is a good first step. After a discussion about your symptoms and medical history, you may be referred to an allergist. In an allergy skin test, your skin is scratched and tiny amounts of allergens placed on the scratch. The respective allergens are marked on your skin. Bumps will appear on your skin in reaction to the things you are allergic to.   

Relieving Your Seasonal Allergies

Allergies can be treated with a wide variety of medications and home remedies. In most cases, you'll be able to get symptom relief with over-the-counter medication or natural remedies. Remember that it is always wise to talk to your doctor about the treatment you are using, even if this treatment does not require a prescription. You want to make sure that you use the best remedy for your allergies, after all. 

See Also: Long-Acting Allergy Vaccines On The Way

Some people have luck with natural remedies. They include butterbur, nettles, goldenseal and even just a saline nasal spray. In many cases, you will simply want to experiment with different treatments in order to determine which ones do the best job of relieving your symptoms. Your doctor should always be a partner in the decision-making process, though — you'll want to ask which treatments you can safely combine, and ensure you stick to the right dosages. 

Besides treatments that relieve your allergic symptoms, there are also some preventative steps you can take. Avoiding the things you are allergic to is the best prevention. Pollen spreads more easily on a windy day, so it can help to avoid going outside on such days. Closing your windows (and turning the air conditioning on instead, if you have to) will prevent allergens from making their way into your home. You may need to rid yourself of houseplants you are allergic to, and should remove any plants and trees that give you symptoms from your garden.