For many people, avoiding allergens and taking over-the-counter medications is enough to ease the annoying symptoms. But if your seasonal allergies are still bothersome, don’t give up. A number of other treatments are available.
If you have bad seasonal or ongoing allergies, your healthcare provider may recommend a skin test or blood tests to find out exactly what allergens trigger your symptoms. Testing can help determine what steps you need to take to avoid your specific triggers and identify which treatments will work best for you.
For some people, allergy relief is as simple as over-the-counter allergy medicines.
- Antihistamines
- Decongestants
- Nasal spray decongestants — don’t use for more than 3 days
- Eye drops
- Nasal irrigation
If over-the-counter remedies don’t help, we can evaluate your symptoms and may recommend prescription medication, such as:
- Corticosteroid nasal sprays
- Leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs)
- Ipratropium bromide nasal spray (Atrovent)
For severe and debilitating allergies, you may need to see an allergy specialist who can prescribe immunotherapy (tiny doses of allergens in the form of shots, tablets or drops). Over time, these injections reduce the immune system reaction that causes symptoms.