Lawrence Chow / ENT Doctor
8 Other Ways to Manage Hay Fever
Sometimes, even if you regularly clean the house and remove all the possible triggers for your hay fever or allergic rhinitis, it will be more effective if you will also equip yourself with complete knowledge on what else might work and do wonders in making you say goodbye for now to your allergies.
Here are just some of the many ways you can manage hay fever:
Avoid Stressful Situations
Stress can weaken the immune system and it makes allergic rhinitis worse. When it is impossible to pluck yourself out from stressful situations, at least learn a few tricks how to manage it. Giving yourself a much needed alone time for self-care and meditation, and toning down your schedule by not overcommitting are basic stress management skills nowadays.
Consider Acupuncture
Acupuncture will not only relieve the acute symptoms of allergies. It will also address the underlying imbalances within the body, getting directly on the root problems that are contributing to the body’s reaction to allergens.
Get to Know Herbal Remedies
Quercetin, a nutrient found in onions, as well as apples and black tea have been known to block the release of histamines.
Butterbur, a European shrub has an herb that has shown potential for relieving seasonal allergy symptoms, acting similar to antihistamines.
These are just a few of the many herbs that can help relieve hay fever symptoms.
Know the Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar can boost the immune system, help break up mucus, and support lymphatic drainage.
Mixing one to two tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a glass of water and lemon juice three times a day can relieve allergy symptoms.
Visit a Chiropractor
Chiropractic care helps the immune system to function more effectively by releasing stress on the nervous system. It has been known that without stress, the nervous system can function more efficiently and help in fixing then wrong immune signals that cause allergic reactions.
Detox Regularly
When the liver works overtime metabolizing alcohol, medications and processed foods, allergies can flare up. Foods and herbs such as milk thistle, turmeric, artichoke, citrus fruits and nuts can help support the liver.
Also, eliminating fried foods, sugar, alcohol and other toxins from your diet can help lessen allergic symptoms because allergies are worsened by toxins within the body.
Take Probiotics
The presence of beneficial bacteria in the gut will reduce incidence of allergies because probiotics stimulate the production of immune enhancing substances, hinder growth of pathogenic elements further making the immune system stronger and this can help lessen allergies.
Relax with Essential Oils
Essential oils like peppermint, basil, eucalyptus, and tea tree oils help detoxify the body and fight infections, bacteria, parasites, microorganisms and harmful toxins. They have been effective in fighting inflammation and boosting the immune system. Adding essential oils to a bath, cup of tea, massage oil, or an oil diffuser can do wonders in reducing allergy symptoms.
Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.
For details of the ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.
Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
http://www.hkentspecialist.hk
3 Best Cures for Allergic Rhinitis Symptoms
When you’re sneezing non stop after a dusting session at home, or you find yourself with an itchy and runny nose after visiting the pet shop, chances are, you have allergic rhinitis. It’s a very common disease and it affects 20% of the human population.
Medical experts can only explain how it happens but they don’t have an idea what causes it in the first place. There are several remedies, and thanks to medical advances, rhinitis is just one antihistamine pill away. If you opt for homeopathic remedies, some ingredients are readily available at a supermarket. Read more to find out.
Avoiding your allergens.
We’ll start off with preventive measures because “prevention is the best cure.” The very first step to not suffer allergies is to find out which allergen your body reacts to. Thankfully, you can go to a clinic for some tests but if you’d like a fancier experience, you can visit an immunologist and allergy expert.
They will conduct several tests so you can find out which allergen you’re most averse to. We’ll give you a heads up – the most common cause for allergic rhinitis are either of the following: dust, pollen, and dander. The first allergen can be avoided by keeping your home clean, the second one – by staying indoors, and the last one by opting for short haired or hairless breeds, or other pet alternatives (if you still want to keep a pet, that is)
Antihistamines.
Over-the-counter brands for antihistamines include Claritin, Benadryl, and Allegra. Most of these histamines work the same way – they reduce the activity of histamine receptors that are the primary cause for the sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes and throat.
Because they limit the production of an immune response, that means an absence of defensive barriers like mucus. You’ll probably need to drink water or use a humidifier in addition to taking the medications because your nasal passages and your throat will dry out. As with any other medication, always consult your physician prior to taking these drugs.
Corticosteroids.
If the antihistamines only acted on receptors, corticosteroids are medications that act on the hormones associated with producing histamines. This means that you won’t suffer the symptoms of rhinitis and the added benefit of not having to experience dryness in your mucous membranes.
The only downside to this is that it has to be taken as a preventive medication. It means that once the allergies have started, taking corticosteroids will reduce the severity of existing symptoms but at this point, taking an antihistamine is the better option.
Some popular corticosteroids for allergies include dexamethasone, prednisone, prednisolone under the brand names Dilacort, Pevanti, Decadron, or Dexpak.
These are just some of the few medications to the symptomatic treatment of allergies. There are homeopathic remedies too, but be careful as some of these all natural remedies still remain untested and may not be medically approved.
Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.
For details of the ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.
Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
http://www.hkentspecialist.hk
What You Have to Know about Allergic Rhinitis
Allergic rhinitis is there’s an inflammation in the nose caused by the reaction of the human immune system to the presence of allergens in the air. Allergen can be pet dander, dust mites, mold, or pollen. For many people, these are actually harmless substances. But for other people, these particles cause an overreaction of the immune system that leads to allergic rhinitis.
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), about 8% of the US adult population have some type of allergic rhinitis. Experts also estimate that 10% to 30% of the worldwide population currently have allergic rhinitis as well.
Common Symptoms
Here are some of the more typical symptoms of allergic rhinitis.
- sneezing
- runny, stuffy, or itchy nose
- coughing
- sore or scratchy throat
- itchy or watery eyes
- dark circles under the eyes
- having extremely dry, itchy skin that can blister and weep, and other symptoms similar to eczema
- hives
- excessive fatigue
- frequent headaches
You may have at least one of these symptoms right after you come into contact with the allergen. The frequent headaches and the excess fatigue, however, may only develop after long-term exposure to the allergens.
For some people, these symptoms may be experienced all year long. This can certainly happen when nothing is done about removing the presence of the allergens from the patient or if the person is especially sensitive.
In other cases, a person may experience these symptoms very rarely. It may only happen during the times when they’re exposed to large amounts of the allergens.
Potential Allergens
The most common allergens are grass and tree pollens. Other typical allergens include mold, cat saliva, dust mites (found in dust), and pet dander (referring to old animal skin).
In the spring, tree and flower pollens become much more common. In the summer and fall, weeds and grasses produce more pollen. If you have hay fever at the same time each year, this can indicate what kinds of pollens you’re allergic to.
When you inhale or get into contact with any of these allergens, your immune system can react by releasing histamine. This is a chemical that the body naturally produces to protect the body against the allergens. However, it’s also the chemical that can cause allergic rhinitis.
Other Risk Factors
What makes a person more likely to get allergic rhinitis? Here are some risk factors that can increase your chances of getting hay fever:
- air pollution and fumes
- chemicals
- cigarette or wood smoke
- cold temperatures
- hairspray
- humidity
- perfumes and colognes
- wind
Since ENT problem is quite different from case to case, it is suggested to consult an ENT doctor for the appropriate ENT services.
Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
Allergy Problems That Should Be Checked by an ENT Doctor
Allergy Problems That Should Be Checked by an ENT Doctor
Millions of people all over the world suffer from allergic rhinitis. This condition affects people from all ages and from all walks of life. Usually, it occurs when the nose and oftentimes the eyes, ears, throat and sinuses are exposed to allergens like pollens, dust, mold, cockroaches, wood dust, cereal grain, chemicals and animal dander.
Some of the common symptoms of allergic rhinitis are runny or itchy nose, sneezing, head and nasal congestion, lethargy and fatigue, itchy throat, postnasal drainage, watery and itchy eyes. Continue reading
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另所有文章內使用的人名均為化名。
另所有文章內使用的人名均為化名。