Approximately 30% of U.S. adults experience at least one type of allergy. With pollen season right around the corner, you probably want to ensure your allergy management plan works effectively. If you have been successively managing your allergies with medication—whether antihistamines, nasal sprays or decongestants, but they haven’t been as effective recently, there are generally two possible causes:
- Your allergies are worsening
- You have developed a tolerance to your medication
If your allergy medication stops working or you notice your symptoms are worse than usual, the first step is to contact your allergy specialist. They may recommend one or more of the following options:
- New treatment
- A higher dose of medication
- Taking a medication pause
Let’s look at each of these options to help you tackle your allergy symptoms.
New Treatment
New treatment may mean switching to a different medication, adding a medication or trying allergy drops or shots. Allergy drops or shots are a highly effective form of allergy management called immunotherapy. With immunotherapy, your allergy specialist will introduce increasing dosages of an allergen through drops or shots to reduce your tolerance over time.
Allergy shots are most effective at treating allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, asthma and bee venom allergies. Shots are generally considered to be more effective than drops at treating rhinitis and asthma. Because allergic reactions are possible, patients must visit their allergy specialist for shots throughout their treatment.
Allergy drops are often used to treat pollen, pet dander, mold, dust mites and feather allergies. People may use allergy drops if they do not wish to visit their allergy specialist for each new dose.
A Higher Dose of Medication
Worsening allergies may require a higher dose of medication. If you believe this is the case, always contact your provider before switching or increasing your medication dose. If you’re using an over-the-counter allergy medication, do not increase the dose or frequency higher than the label recommends without discussing it with your provider.
Taking a Medication Pause
In some cases, your provider may recommend you take a medication pause. This may be the case if your allergies have not changed, but your body has built up a tolerance to your medication. As with other options, it is essential to discuss any medication change or pause with your allergy provider. They can help ensure medication changes do not negatively affect you.
To learn more about managing your allergies or to discuss a treatment plan adjustment, contact Charleston ENT & Allergy today to make an appointment with one of our specialists.