Cold and allergies are extremely common and treating allergies can be very annoying. There are two steps to treating allergies – preventing the allergy and treating the allergic symptoms.

Before getting into treating the cold and allergy, the common allergy-inducing agents need to be looked at and the exact allergen responsible for the reaction should be identified. Additional factors which can help in identifying the allergen are:

• Season
• Cosmetics
• Clothing pattern
• Pets in the vicinity
• Food patterns

Skin tests and food tests can be done to identify the exact allergy. Treatment options include prevention and treating the allergy symptoms.

Prevention of cold and other allergies

Some of the best ways to prevent allergies are:

• Avoid nickel jewelry if you have had rashes because of them
• Avoid medicines which cause an allergic reaction. If you are not sure if you are indeed allergic to it, take a test dose before going for a full dose. There are specific medications that a doctor would want to confirm allergy to, and these should be tested. These include penicillin and a local anesthetic such as lidocaine.
• Avoid foods which induce an allergy. The actual allergy-causing agent is only identified through exclusions and once identified, it should be avoided
• Cosmetics are also best tested before buying and using them.
• If you are allergic to animal dander, then stay away from pets. The same applies to dust, mites, and pollen.
• Winter and summer bring their own set of allergies, and people who are affected know the signs. They know to make suitable lifestyle changes such as keeping themselves warm so that the symptoms are minimal, or if possible, staying away from the allergen.

Treatment for cold and allergies

Treating cold and allergies again is a two-step approach with specific symptom treatment and overall health maintenance.

• Eat a well-balanced diet to ensure you get adequate vitamins and minerals to keep the allergy at bay
• Make sure your diet has enough of beta-carotene and antioxidants to keep the allergy under control
• If you experience watery eyes and nose, keep eye drops and nasal sprays handy
• If you break out into a rash, then a topical cream should help
• Nasal steroid sprays come in handy for those who experience a runny nose and nasal irritation
• Neti pot and saline rinses also help clear nasal congestion and reduce irritation
• Decongestants should be carried by people who suffer congestion. This could be slightly more worrisome than the other symptoms and so immediate relief is required.
• In the long run, your doctor may give you shots or tablets to reduce your sensitivity to the allergen.
• Supplements such as probiotics, apple cider vinegar, and honey are also believed to reduce the incidence of allergies.

Emergencies

If you are allergic, always keep an antihistamine handy so that you can take it if there is a reaction. Some people even keep Allegra, Clarinex, and Zyrtec handy so that they can immediately arrest the symptoms at the onset of an allergy.

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