As flowers bloom in spring, so do allergies for many people along Colorado’s Front Range.
Swedish Medical Center Chief Medical Officer Jaya Kumar said some of the common symptoms include sneezing, a runny nose, sniffling, coughing, stuffy nose, itching and post nasal drip. Some cases, Kumar said, can be even worse.
“Severe allergies may be associated with eye allergies, sinus congestion, asthma, eczema, throat swelling (and more),” Kumar said.
She said allergies have many causes.
“Allergies happen during a certain time of the year or allergies happen after exposure to certain things like pets, fumes, flowers,” Kumar said.
Kumar said while it’s possible to avoid certain triggers, it can be difficult to completely get away from them.
“In those situations we can use antihistamines or anti-allergy medications over the counter, steroid nasal spray, nasal decongestants,” Kumar said. “In severe cases, consult your healthcare provider.”
Allergies commonly impact about 10%-30% of children and adults in the United States, according to Kumar.
“(They can) be associated with significant morbidity, like missed school or work, and if uncontrolled can impair quality of life,” Kumar said. “It is very important to understand and manage your symptoms.”
Kumar advises people to consult their primary care providers for advice. In severe cases she said people may need to have allergen testing and immunotherapy under the supervision of an allergist.
“Some of the allergy medicines or decongestants over the counter can have side effects as well like sedation, dry mouth, interaction with your other medications and long term side effects as well,” Kumar said. “So it is important to consult your healthcare provider.”
Overall tips for dealing with allergies include:
- Know your triggers
- Minimize allergen exposure
- Use allergy medications
- Consider allergen immunotherapy.