11 Natural Remedies for Seasonal Allergies to Help You Find Relief
When should you consider using seasonal allergy medicine?
There’s no cure for seasonal allergies (womp womp), but taking over-the-counter medications, such as antihistamines2 can help when “natural” remedies for seasonal allergies aren’t enough. If you’re using allergy medications, it’s often helpful to take them before your symptoms even start. Most people take medication when their seasonal allergies begin to cause trouble, but you can get a leg up on things by starting earlier, Purvi Parikh, MD, an allergist and immunologist with NYU Langone, who is allergic to grass pollen herself, tells SELF. Grass pollen starts becoming bothersome in springtime, so Dr. Parikh begins using allergy meds like antihistamines two weeks before the season starts. This helps her reduce symptoms or even avoid them altogether, she says. You can also try OTC nasal corticosteroids, which are sprayed or inhaled into the nose to help relieve your stuffy nose and irritation caused by allergies.
It’s important to talk to your doctor, preferably an allergist if you have access to one, before trying any other “natural” remedies for seasonal allergies, like herbs or supplements. For example, some people who are allergic to ragweed, daisies, and marigolds can also be allergic to chamomile tea, according to the NCCIH, which could do more harm than good in that case.
If the suggested home remedies for seasonal allergies and OTC drugstore medications don’t help your symptoms, you may want to talk to your doctor about other seasonal allergy management strategies. There are more targeted treatment options, such as immunotherapy in the form of allergy shots, that might bring you the greater relief you’re hoping for.
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