When discussing common chronic conditions, you cannot omit allergies. This condition occurs when your immune system reacts adversely to benign substances like pollen. When you are allergic, the immune system will produce antibodies that identify allergens as harmful. Consequently, you will be prone to concerns like airway inflammation and sinuses. The allergy symptoms usually vary from one individual to another, depending on their immune system. Unfortunately, many people continue to misunderstand this condition despite the prevalence of allergies. Therefore, when seeking treatments from a Surprise allergist, you should understand the truth behind following allergy myths.
Allergies Only Trigger Respiratory Symptoms
Most people who are allergic experience respiratory symptoms such as sneezing. In response to allergens, the immune system releases histamine, which causes swelling along the airways. However, you can still have allergy symptoms in other body parts. For example, contact with allergens can cause fatigue, clogged years, and headaches. Also, allergies can interfere with sleep quality, especially if you suffer from seasonal allergies.
Treatment Only Works for More Severe Symptoms
Some skeptics believe that allergy treatments are only effective in improving worsening allergy symptoms. However, you do not have to wait until the symptoms start affecting your quality of life to seek treatment options. There are different treatment options that you can lean on to alleviate your allergy symptoms, irrespective of their severity. For example, nasal spray treatments can reduce swelling along your air passage.
Allergy Only Affects Children
Perhaps you have heard some people claiming that allergic reactions only affect kids. The reality is that this condition can also occur among adults, even the ones with no history of allergies. Your immune system determines whether or not you will have allergic reactions. The immunity usually changes in the course of an individual’s life. For example, you could have the onset of allergies when your immune system functionality reduces during pregnancy.
Nasal Sprays Are Risky
Safety is among many people’s main concerns when seeking nasal sprays to alleviate allergic symptoms. Other people claim that this treatment option will ultimately cause addiction in the patient. Nevertheless, saline nasal sprays do not have any drugs and have shown effectiveness in reducing discomfort associated with allergens. Only the nasal sprays having decongestants can trigger addictions. Therefore, you get the appropriate prescriptions from your healthcare provider before using the nasal spray treatments.
Common Cold and Allergy is the Same Condition
While the common cold and allergic reactions may share some symptoms, the two health concerns differ. You encounter common cold symptoms when you have viral infections. Conversely, allergic symptoms occur when your immune system reacts with allergens. Further, the common cold can last for a week, while allergies are more persistent and can last for a whole allergy season. Therefore, if you are unsure whether you have a common cold or allergy, you should consider the correct diagnosis from your primary care provider.
Allergy is one of the leading chronic conditions, yet people continue to misunderstand it. What you could have heard about this condition could be far from the truth. That is why it is necessary to clear all controversies through the above-debunked myths when seeking allergy treatment. For example, if you think that allergies only cause respiratory symptoms, you will learn that they can affect other body parts. Further, you will understand that allergy can occur even in adulthood, depending on an individual’s immune system.