Treating Allergy Symptoms
By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - It happens every spring. Those who suffer from allergies with the classic symptoms of itchy eyes and runny nose, sneezing, coughing and experiencing headaches start coming to the office frustrated and annoyed.
There is no great diagnosis to be made. In fact, the patients actually come to the exam room and tell physicians what is wrong with them.
We have medications available by prescription that can help control most of the symptoms. And, remember that over the past two decades a growing number of medications have been made over the counter so we, as physicians, often don't see many of them.
You might be in that group, suffering with allergy symptoms but not bad enough to go to the doctor. There are some common sense approaches that you can take.
The first is to try and do any outdoor exercise early in the morning or early evening. Keep your windows closed to reduce allergens. Change your clothes when you come in from outside to achieve the same goal.
This will not totally eliminate allergy symptoms but it will help a great deal.
