3. Take Allergy Medicine.
Allergy medicine can help adults and children with sniffles and a runny
nose.
Antihistamines, which block your body's response to allergies,
usually work in less than an hour. But read the package carefully. Some
older drugs, like chlorpheniramine, clemastine, and diphenhydramine
can make you drowsy.
For more severe allergies try a nasal spray. But don't expect symptoms
to vanish right away. They may take a few days to work, and since they
can have side effects like burning, dryness, or nosebleeds, use the
lowest dose that controls your symptoms.
Your doctor may recommend
allergy shots if other medicines can't
relieve your symptoms. They contain a tiny amount of the pollen and
will help your body build up resistance to it. You'll likely need to get
one shot each month for 3 to 5 years.
4. get natural relief.
Some herbal remedies may help stave off allergy symptoms. More
research is needed, but an extract from a shrub called
butterbur
shows promise. Biminne, a Chinese herbal formula with ingredients
like
ginkgo biloba and Chinese skullcap, may also help. One study
found that people who took biminne five times a day for 12 weeks still
felt the benefits a year later.
Tell your doctor first. 'Natural' or 'alternative' doesn't necessarily
mean safe.
Butterbur may cause an allergic reaction in people who are sensitive
to plants like ragweed and marigold. Biminne doesn't always work well
with diabetes medicines. And because it's unclear how these herbs
help, the possible long-term side effects are unknown.
