Managing Seasonal Allergies Without Traditional Allergy Medicine

I have allergies. Bad allergies. I have suffered my whole life from an itchy nose, itchy throat, watery eyes and sneezing. At times, such as when the cottonwood would start to drop, my chest would begin to itch and tighten as well. I have constantly suffered from sinus pain and pressure as a result of my allergies and have often wondered what it would feel like to be “normal”. My symptoms would slam me hard in the spring, taper off a bit during the mid summer months and come roaring back in late summer. I would spend at least two months a summer floating on antihistamines, barely able to function, just hoping to get to the end of the day.

When I finally got tested, it turned out that I was allergic to 91 out of 100 things. On a scale of one to five, I was a three on most of them and climbed to a high four on many others. My severe allergies made me nearly asthmatic as well. The plan was to have two desensitization shots, one in either arm, weekly. In theory, it sounded good, until my insurance didn’t cover the cost. At the time, an extra $40 weekly just wasn’t in my budget. I dropped the shots and went back to suffering.

My summers just weren’t nearly as fun as they should have been. Many people feel the same way; allergy medicines make them sleepy and disjointed. Add a couple of drinks to that, as often can happen in the summer months and you’re pretty much done. I didn’t want to be that way anymore.

I started exploring my options. A few years ago, over the counter nasal sprays for allergies started hitting the shelves. I was the first in line. I soon discovered that my symptoms were greatly reduced with the use of these sprays, but I still had to continue with the antihistamines. I hadn’t started using the sprays early enough in the season.

This year, I’ve done things a bit differently. I decided that instead of a backup remedy, the sprays were going to become my main treatment. I would use traditional allergy medicines in a pinch or when things got really bad. So, while it was still cold and there was still snow on the ground, I purchased, and began using twice daily, allergy nasal spray.

So far, so good. I’ve survived the mold and mildew season very well, with only minimum symptoms which are mostly in my chest, so I’ve had to use the traditional medicines a couple of times to help that. I take it at bed time and usually one dose is enough to solve the problem. The spring pollens that everyone else suffers from have left me alone almost completely.

I was, however, still suffering from sinus pain and pressure. The problem with most sinus sprays for me was that they’re habit forming and can actually make sinus problems worse over the long term. I don’t like taking decongestants if I can help it, because they make my heart race, so I thought I would just suffer through. At least I wasn’t sneezing anymore.

That was until my mom read a blurb from a popular medical column in our area. The doctor received a question about sinus problems. He recommended a sinus spray called Sinol. It’s got capsicum (I call it hot pepper juice) in it, which is reported to attack all kinds of headaches, and a slew of other natural ingredients that do everything from keeping bacteria from your sinuses, to reducing inflammation. Plus, it’s non habit forming.

Good enough for me. Less ibuprofen? Perfect. I decided to give it a try. The box advertises that it provides effective relief from migraines, cluster and tension headaches. I’m a box reader, so it took me a little bit to make the decision. I always read the warnings and am very hesitant about what I take. The warnings say if you’re allergic to any kind of capsicum (hot peppers) you shouldn’t use it. Hot peppers? Love “em. I was sold.

It works. For me, this product is phenomenal. Now I”m taking both the allergy nasal spray and the Sinol and I feel really good. I keep worrying about nosebleeds or any side effects, but so far, so good. I feel good about this kind of treatment, because it’s not a medicine that hits my blood stream and, I feel, is safer over the long term. As I said before, I still need to take traditional allergy medicine once in a while for allergy symptoms in my chest, but for the most part, I feel like I can participate in any outdoor activity and not worry about the disastrous effects of my allergies.

I know this treatment isn’t for everyone. I know that many people have different, or worse allergies than I do. In that case, stick with a doctor. If, however, your allergies are similar to mine and you’re tired of taking antihistamines, this could be a good alternative for you.