Prevention & Management of Respiratory Allergies
The increase in respiratory illnesses or allergies can be seen with the climate change crisis, as the outdoors are more compromised than ever.
Respiratory allergies commonly occur as a reaction to an allergen substance: be it dust, mold, pollen, animal dander, or hair.
An allergen-triggered respiration allergy or difficulty can result in: coughing, wheezing, nasal congestion, and shallow breathing. As allergies are often caused by your immune system identifying a substance as harmful, the chances of developing a respiratory infection/allergy are increased with a pre-existing allergy, or if one has Asthma.
The best treatment for respiratory allergies is to avoid allergens triggering one’s symptoms. A healthcare provider can be helpful in diagnosing the specific type of allergy for subsequent management.
Here a few ways to manage respiratory allergies to prevent symptoms from flaring up:
- Masking Up
We’re inhaling fumes, polluted air, unhygienic pollen, and irritants such as smoke that inflame our airways and increase the risk of long-term illnesses.
In a post-pandemic world, masks prevent any unwanted contact with environmental pollen and are advised for patients suffering from breathing difficulties or infections in general.
- Doctor-prescribed medication
As it’s hard to identify or avoid one particular allergen or trigger for respiratory allergies, consultation with a medical or healthcare professional can help begin your treatment.
To help provide relief from symptoms, Doctors may prescribe nasal sprays, decongestants, or antihistamines. For severe respiratory allergies or conditions, there are modern medical inventions to help ease patient difficulty – such as a Mesh nebulizer machine to efficiently dispense medicine for respiratory ailments.
The major benefit of using a mesh nebulizer is its high product efficiency to seamlessly dispense medicine, and relatively shorter treatment periods since patients inhale liquified medicine as mist directly into their lungs.
A portable mesh nebulizer is also effective, as is the ease with which both busy adults and school-going children with respiratory conditions can use it.
- An anti-inflammatory diet
“Increase your Vitamin C intake!” – a recurring advice doctors love to give as patients reel from respiratory infections, be it during the monsoon period or when there’s widespread flu around.
Antioxidants help our bodies fight free radicals trying to cause damage to our cells.
A diet rich in vegetables and fruits fuels up our immune system to keep infections or allergies at bay. Herbs like Ginger and Turmeric are a great source of rich antioxidants and Vitamin C.
- Avoid cigarette smoke and chemical fumes
Any environment with smoke and fumes in the air can worsen your symptoms of a runny nose and breathing difficulty. It also results in watery eyes due to worsened air quality.
Choose smoke-free restaurants, bars, and areas to recover faster from respiratory ailments and breathe easy.
- Allergy-proofing your home
During seasons with high pollen around, shut out the windows and clean any remaining mold on them for a safer environment.
Remove major clutter and items sitting in your living room collecting dust, like toys or books, clothes, etc
Avoiding indoor allergens by installing air purifiers, exterminating, and vacuuming( with a HEPA filter cleaner) regularly can prevent unwanted mold, dust, and insect infestation from taking over your surroundings.
- Stay hydrated and take a steam
One of the most naturally effective ways to prevent allergen-triggered infections is key water intake. Sipping on more fluids like tea, water, juices, or broths can help relieve nasal passages.
A good steam session can ease a blocked nose for you to breathe easier. Piping hot cups of tea can also provide you with natural steam intake.
- Take A Test
To help you identify or avoid a particular trigger, a skin allergy test can prove to be helpful.
It can help you pinpoint actual triggers to stay cautious and come up with a way to avoid them.
Asking a Doctor about the said benefits of such a test may help you in the long run.
- A Nasal rinse/wash
A proper nasal rinse can help you clear out mucus, easing your nose congestion and itch as a result.
This activity helps reduce post nasal dripping and clear out bacteria. You can perform this procedure upon medical consultation or via the help of a nose cleansing kit, as per personal preference.
- Clean Up
One of the easiest ways to keep your home allergen-proof is to know that you carry the particles and dust from outside every time while entering home.
A quick shower, handwash, and changing of clothes can help keep allergens outside.
One can also choose to leave their shoes outside to prevent unwanted particles all over the place.