Yes - Spring has Sprung!
If it seems early to have allergies on your mind, it's not. Tis the season to put viruses to bed and not let seasonal allergies hold you back either. I am seeing a lot of allergy symptoms in the office and it will continue for a bit. This is a little quiz to give some guidance in case you're having mild symptoms you've been wondering about. The symptoms of allergies versus a viral illness (COVID or others) can be tricky to differentiate in early stages. This article has some good information to help tell the difference. Err on the side of caution - if you are having new, unexplained symptoms, do not expose yourself to others (work, school, social) until you run the situation by me please. We're happy to help troubleshoot from day 1!
Treatment for allergies involves avoiding your triggers, but since enjoying the outdoors is a priority too, there are safe, effective options for treatment. In general, over the counter antihistamines are very safe and effective. Benadryl is the classic one, but lasts only for about four hours and tends to cause drowsiness. There are non-sedating formulas that are designed to last all day in the form of Claritin, Allegra, Zyrtec and Xyzal widely available over the counter and by prescription. Though there are no head to head studies, Xyzal tends to be the front runner in the category (least sedating, most efficacious) in my opinion. We often combine these medicines with another type of allergy medicine called Singulair (particularly helpful for sinus congestion and lung effects) and/or medicated nasal sprays (particularly helpful for sinus congestion). Many people can combine these with Mucinex D (or a prescription only sibling) if congestion is particularly bothersome, but ask me first if you have any concerns related to heart conditions, high blood pressure or sensitivity to decongestants. For those interested in a more natural approach to support the immune system in controlling allergies, Natural D-Hist by OrthoMolecular is a great product that we can order at wholesale prices for you.
Shoot us a message if you are interested or have questions!
