Can Type 2 Diabetes Be Reversed?
If you have Type 2 diabetes, you’re longing for a cure. Until then, recent research shows you may be able to reverse it or go into remission. Here are the facts.
5 Tips for Controlling Seasonal Allergies
Nearly 19.2 million adults in the United States are diagnosed each year with seasonal allergies. If you have trouble managing symptoms of seasonal allergies, you can find help at Woodstock Family Practice & Urgent Care.
Dr. James Lee at Woodstock Family Practice & Urgent Care offers comprehensive allergy services including in-office allergy tests to better understand the root cause of your allergies. They also help you strategize ways to avoid the allergens you’re allergic to, so you can reduce your risk for allergy flare-ups.
Why you have seasonal allergies
Seasonal allergies are triggered by substances in your environment. When you make contact with an allergen, your immune system responds by producing antibodies that cause symptoms like:
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Throat irritation
- Watery, itchy eyes
For many Americans, spring allergies start in February and persist until early summer because this is when tree pollination begins and ends. Additional allergy symptoms can occur in the late summer and fall during the pollination of grass and ragweed.
Your allergy symptoms may go on longer than usual based on the climate where you live. On windy days, your allergies might seem more severe because many of the allergens take flight and are more easily found in the air you breathe.
While it can be impossible to avoid seasonal allergens, even if you stay indoors, there are ways you can control your seasonal allergies.
5 tips for controlling your seasonal allergies
Getting ahead of your seasonal allergies might make it easier to keep your symptoms under control. Here are five quick tips to stay on top of allergies each season:
1. Get tested for allergies
Our staff at Woodstock Family Practice & Urgent Care offer on-site allergy tests that involve pricking your skin with small amounts of common allergens, including mold and pollen, to determine how your body reacts.
If you have an allergy to a certain substance, a small, itchy welt will appear on your skin. By understanding what you’re allergic to, you can help avoid allergens. Testing can also help our team determine how best to treat your allergies using medications or immunotherapy.
2. Track pollen reports
Technology today makes it easy to track pollen reports in your area. If pollen counts are expected to be high on certain days, make sure you take your medications before your symptoms start.
3. Stay indoors when possible
Avoid doing outdoor chores until after a rainstorm, when pollen counts are typically lower. If you hang laundry outside, do so only when pollen counts are low.
Showering after time spent outdoors can also reduce your risk for allergy symptoms.
4. Keep your home clean
There’s no way to remove every single allergen from your home, but vacuuming and dusting frequently can cut down on your exposure to allergens.
Keep your air conditioner on instead of opening the windows of your home or vehicle. You can also use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter and a dehumidifier indoors to reduce allergy symptoms.
5. Ask for allergy help
Allergy testing not only can identify the cause of your symptoms, it also helps our team determine how best to treat your allergies.
We offer prescription allergy medications and immunotherapy (allergy shots) if over-the-counter medicines are no longer effectively controlling your allergies.
There’s no reason to suffer with seasonal allergy symptoms. Call Woodstock Family Practice & Urgent Care in Woodstock, Georgia, or book online today to learn more about options for managing your allergies.
You Might Also Enjoy...
What Can I Expect During a Prostate Exam?
If the prospect of a prostate exam makes you nervous, you’re not alone. Most men avoid the test because the idea of a backside probe sounds uncomfortable and embarrassing. It’s easier than you think, and it helps to know the details before you go.
Am I Too Young for Arthritis?
Your creaky knees and stiff wrists might be giving you the unwelcome news that you have arthritis, even if you think you’re too young for the joint disease. Here are the telltale signs.
How Low Testosterone Can Affect Your Health
Most men know that low testosterone can cause trouble in the bedroom, but did you know it can also wreak havoc with your overall health? Here’s what you need to know about the link between “low T” and physical and mental health conditions.
5 Early Signs of Hypothyroidism in Women
Your period is out of whack, and you just don’t feel like yourself. It’s hard to describe, and you aren’t even sure it’s anything to worry about. Could it be hypothyroidism? Here’s how to tell.
How to Combat Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
One minute, you’re fine; the next, you’re ripping off your sweater and opening all of the windows — what gives? Your sudden surges of internal heat are telltale signs of menopause. Here’s how to keep your cool.