Hay Fever and Other Allergies
March 09, 2005
An allergy is when your body overreacts to things that don’t cause problems for most people. These things are called allergens. Sometimes, the term hay fever is used to describe an allergic reaction to allergens in the air.
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Symptoms of allergies
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Antihistamines help reduce the sneezing, runny nose and itchiness of allergies. They are most useful if you use them before you are exposed to allergens. You can buy some antihistamines without a prescription. These work in relieving symptoms just as well as prescription medicines do, but they ten d to have more side effects than prescription medicines. Decongestants help relive the stopped-up nose of allergies. The come as pills, nose sprays and drops. It is best not to use the nose sprays and drops form more than three days because you can become dependent on them very easily. Decongestants can raise your blood pressure, so it is a good ideas to talk to your family doctor before using them.
Common allergens in the air are pollen, mold, dust, and animal dander. Many other things can make your allergy symptoms worse.
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Things that may make allergies feel worse
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