Safe Allergy Treatments for Seniors

We eagerly await the arrival of Spring and Summer each season, but for many, the sunshine and warmth also bring a wave of allergies from pollinating trees, flowers and grasses.  Even if you never experienced allergies as a child, adults can still develop them later in life.  And elderly people with other chronic diseases can struggle to keep season allergies from causing their other symptoms to worsen.

Seniors with cardiovascular or breathing problems should treat their allergy symptoms such as sneezing, itchy eyes or runny nose before they can make other issues harder to treat.  However, traditional antihistamines commonly used to manage allergies symptoms can cause side effects that can be dangerous for an older adult.  Confusion, drowsiness, mood changes, urinary retention, dry mouth and eyes and dizziness all pose a greater risk for the elderly.   Antihistamines may also have serious drug interactions with other prescription medications.  A topical medication or nasal steroid, prescribed by a doctor, is often an good alternative to oral antihistamines.  In some cases, a specialist may recommend allergy shots which can help thwart allergic reactions before they develop.

A recent study published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, found that in seniors aged 65 to 75, who suffered from hay fever, allergy shots were very effective in controlling symptoms.

On the heels of what was for many a milder winter, the allergy season may seem worse this year and it’s not your imagination.   A wet winter helps create healthy root systems and according to The Weather Channel,  plants and trees are primed to release pollen earlier.  More carbon dioxide in the environment also signals plants to produce more and increasingly powerful pollen.

So don’t wait to treat your seasonal allergies!

To learn more about allergies visit the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology website at http://acaai.org/news/new-study-shows-allergy-shots-are-effective-baby-boomers-suffering-seasonal-allergies .