Living With Allergic Rhinitis: What Works Long Term

Allergic rhinitis (hay fever) is known for causing a runny nose, sneezing, and other symptoms during certain seasons. However, it can also make you feel miserable throughout the year.

The best treatment for long-term relief depends on the severity of your symptoms. Our Michigan Avenue Primary Care team specializes in providing personalized care tailored to each individual's needs, enabling them to enjoy life free from allergic reactions.

About allergic rhinitis

Like all allergies, hay fever develops when your immune system overreacts to a substance that’s harmless, triggering the release of chemicals that cause an allergic reaction.

There are two types of allergic rhinitis. You could have one or both:

Seasonal

If you have seasonal allergic rhinitis, your symptoms appear in spring, summer, and/or early fall. Your symptoms are seasonal because they’re worse when trees, grass, and weeds bloom and release pollen, a process that occurs at different times depending on the plant and where you live. Airborne mold spores can also cause seasonal allergic rhinitis.

Perennial

Perennial allergic rhinitis causes year-round symptoms, typically due to exposure to dust mites, pet dander, cockroaches, or mold.

Symptoms

Hay fever primarily causes symptoms affecting the nose and eyes, including:

• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Itchy eyes, mouth, or skin
• Stuffy nose
• Tearing eyes

Some people have dark circles under their eyes (allergic shiners). This harmless discoloration occurs when tiny veins under the eye become swollen, causing the area to appear dark and puffy.

Living with allergic rhinitis

The first step is determining that your symptoms are caused by allergic rhinitis and that you don’t have conditions that frequently occur with hay fever, like asthma.

After completing a medical history and exploring your lifestyle, we may be able to diagnose the problem. However, we usually recommend a skin test to identify the exact substance triggering your symptoms.

The skin prick test only takes about 15 minutes to reveal your specific allergens. Then, we can recommend treatment.

To get long-term relief from allergic rhinitis, you may need one or more of the following:

1. Environmental management

Though airborne allergens may be impossible to avoid, taking steps to limit your exposure will reduce or prevent symptoms.

While you may need other treatments, creating a plan to avoid your triggers is usually the first step in managing allergic rhinitis. A few examples include:

• Keeping windows closed when pollen is high
• Limiting outdoor activities when pollen is high
• Using air conditioning in your home and car
• Wearing sunglasses outside (to keep pollen out of your eyes)
• Using protective bedding covers (to avoid dust mites)
• Using a dehumidifier to control mold

There are many ways to allergy-proof your home, such as using a HEPA filter vacuum, removing carpeting, and minimizing other soft surfaces that collect dust.

2. Medications to relieve symptoms

Over-the-counter (OTC) medications that relieve hay fever symptoms include nasal sprays containing saline, antihistamines, decongestants, and intranasal corticosteroids. We may recommend pills and other prescription-strength treatments if OTC options don’t help.

3. Immunotherapy

If the first two treatments don’t help or you want a long-lasting solution, it may be time to consider immunotherapy. 

During immunotherapy, you take a regular dose of your allergen. Over time, your body gets used to the substance, your allergic reactions diminish, and your symptoms improve.

Two types of immunotherapy include:

Allergy shots

We inject the allergen every two weeks, beginning with a small dose and gradually increasing it until you reach a maintenance dose.

Then, your shots continue at the same dose but with less frequent injections. Most people need 3-5 years of allergy shots to achieve optimal results.

Sublingual tablets

This treatment involves taking a tablet or a drop every day. The medicine goes under your tongue, where the tablet dissolves and both forms are absorbed, releasing the allergen into your bloodstream. Like allergy shots, you usually need to continue the treatment for several years.

Need help for long-lasting allergy relief?

You don’t need to live with allergy symptoms. Call Michigan Avenue Primary Care today or book an appointment online to get effective relief.