It’s sneezing season, and while most allergies can’t be cured, there are ways to relieve your symptoms.
Stuffy nose. Headache. Watery eyes. Sneezing. General blahs. Sound familiar?
From spring to fall, we see an uptick in seasonal allergies. If you’ve never suffered from allergies, you may not realize the daily impact on your well-being. But, if you’re one that battles allergies, you understand—and know it’s important to get a handle on it before it gets a handle on you.
Allergies occur when your immune system reacts to a foreign substance, such as pollen, ragweed, trees, grass, pet dander, etc. The result are symptoms that wreak havoc, affecting your airways, sinuses and nasal passages, skin, and digestive system. These sniffy, sneezing, snot-nosed symptoms can range from mild to severe.
While most allergies can’t be cured, you can relieve your allergy symptoms—oftentimes with over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. Bonus: You can get many OTC medicines at a discounted price at a MetroHealth Pharmacy.
If allergies or sinuses are interfering with your daily life, visit MetroHealth Pharmacy and talk to one of our pharmacists about the best option for your symptoms. Allergy medications are available as pills, liquids, inhalers, nasal sprays, eyedrops, and skin creams.
The two most common types of OTC allergy medications are:
Antihistamines:
- Plus: They block histamine, a symptom-causing chemical released by your immune system during an allergic reaction.
- Minus: They can make you drowsy, so you need to be careful when you take them.
Decongestant:
- Plus: Decongestants provide quick, temporary relief of nasal and sinus congestion.
- Minus: They can cause trouble sleeping, headache, increased blood pressure, and irritability.
A MetroHealth pharmacist can help you figure out what you need based on your symptoms. Remember, you can pay for your OTC medications with your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA).
Comprehensive allergy testing is available at MetroHealth.
The Allergy and Immunology Clinic is staffed with experts who can help determine what is triggering your allergies and provide additional treatment options such as injectable medications (or allergy shots). Call 216-778-2213 to schedule an appointment. Referrals are not required.
