Nasal Allergies - Time To Sneeze

The definition of allergy is a hypersensitivity to an otherwise harmless substance. That's why it's often hard for people not affected by this sensitivity to understand how somebody can react so violently to a substance that they use on a daily basis. This can include anything from hair spray and cleaning products like bleach to those pretty flowers. Sometimes people think the allergic person is overreacting, exaggerating but it's real suffering. That's why more and more offices ask their employees and in doctor's offices, patients, not to use perfumes or sprays.

The most common nasal allergens are animal dander, dust, smoke, scents like perfumes or sprays, cold air, dry air, humidity, smog, mold, pollen, dust mites, insects like cockroaches and many, many more.

For those who don't know what it feels like to have nasal allergies, the following about sums it up: it's like having a nasty cold year round. It's most common symptoms are sneezing, stuffy nose, itchy eyes and nose, clear discharge from the nose, headaches and feeling tired all day and it can seriously affect the quality of life.

Though not fatal (though blurry sight and fits of sneezing have probably caused one car accident or another), untreated nasal allergies can develop into sinusitis, a painful infection of the sinuses. This painful infection can last 4 weeks or make its return on a routine basis over years and if you thought allergies were bad, it's nothing compared to this. In some cases, allergies also develop into asthma, which can also be very dangerous.

There's a nasal allergy for every time of the year. In the winter, you have allergies to indoor allergens like your pet's dander, dust and mold. With spring comes the pollinating of trees, which sets of another round of sneezing and teary eyes. The long awaited arrival of summer also brings with it weed and grass allergies and finally, in autumn you have ragweed season.

Luckily for the person suffering from nasal allergies, it's quite easy nowadays to get medication for them. Nasal sprays and allergy medication can be bought over the counter. It used to be that most allergy medication made the person drowsy, but brands like Claritin now make non-drowsy-pills. The downside with most nasal sprays is that the person using them over a longer period of time will most likely experience a reverse reaction. That means that the nasal sprays will actually aggravate the situation.

If the over the counter medication isn't helping, it's time to see the family doctor or an allergy specialist. The testing consists of injections of a multiple amount of allergens under your skin to see to which ones you react. After that has been established, the specialist will prescribe allergy medication that the patient will use long term, like Flonase and Nasacort. The problem with these is, that if a women suffering from nasal allergies becomes pregnant, she can't or at least shouldn't use them anymore.

There are some "natural" things you can do around your home to minimize the allergies. Clean the house often, including the walls. Frequently vacuum the mattress, keep the furnace and ducts clean and remove carpeting. Instead of using nasal sprays too often, rinse your nasal passages with warm salt water by aspiring it through the nose. This is not pleasant, but quite effective.