Don’t let allergies screw up your spring.
First, find out what’s making you sneeze, says Dan Brooks, M.D., an allergist with the Asthma & Allergy Center in Bellevue, Nebraska. If you’re not sure, have yourself tested by a doctor who’s board certified in allergy and immunology. Go to acaai.org and click on “Find an Allergist.”
If grass is the culprit, you’re in luck. A new pill called Oralair was approved by the Food and Drug Administration last year to treat reactions to grass pollen.
The drug works like an allergy shot, but without the needle, Dr. Brooks says. You take microdoses of the offending substance—in this case, five different grass pollens—over time in order to desensitize your immune system.
The difference is that this Rx doesn’t require weekly or monthly trips to the doctor to get pricked, says Dr. Brooks, M.D. And while over-the-counter meds may bring quick relief, they work only as long as you keep taking them, unlike Oralair.
(Another ridiculously easy way you can reduce your symptoms: Block Out Allergens with Sunglasses.)
In a 2013 study published in the journal Clinical & Experimental Allergy, participants took Oralair for three years–four months prior to and throughout each grass pollen season. Not only did these allergy sufferers experience relief during that time, but even after they stopped taking the tablets, their overall symptoms (sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, nasal congestion) were 21 percent less severe than the placebo group’s.
If your allergy test reveals that you’re allergic to several springtime suspects, like grass and tree pollen and mold spores, you may be better off getting the old-school shots, Dr. Books says. That’s because Oralair only treats grass-induced symptoms, but shots can fight more allergens.
Of course, in the meantime you can limit your exposure to the invisible enemies. Download Pollen.com’s Allergy Alert app to find out when your allergens are out in force. When they are, close your windows, run your air conditioning, and exercise indoors rather than out.
(For more smart ways to beat springtime sniffles, try these 5 Natural Remedies for Allergies.)
