Which Allergens Can Make You Cough: Identifying Common Airborne Pollutants
It can be hard to get a word in when you’re hacking up a storm. But before you start self-isolating, know that respiratory diseases aren’t always the cause behind a bad cough. Sure, it may be the season for them, but you know what’s also always in season? Allergies. That’s right; even in the cold of winter (or perhaps because of it), there’s always something that can trigger an allergic reaction. And Valleant is here to shed some light on what may be causing yours.
Read their guide to allergies at https://valleant.com/which-allergies-make-you-cough/
Haywire with Hay Fever
As Valleant’s guide explains, allergic reactions occur when your immune system erroneously identifies a harmless substance as a pathogen. While reactions can occur in any part of the body, they frequently arise when allergens, such as pollen or dust, enter your airways. This can prompt your body to release histamine and other chemicals, which often trigger disruptive symptoms such as coughing.
There are two kinds of coughs: dry coughs, which are caused by irritation in the throat or an airway, and wet coughs, which result from postnasal drip. The type of cough that you suffer from can provide hints on the underlying factors behind the allergy, but Valleant’s guide notes that allergens can induce a variety of responses from the immune system. For this reason, allergy testing may be necessary to identify the exact causes of a reaction.
Common Allergens
That said, you don’t really need a fancy allergy test to highlight the most common causes of allergies. For example, everyone knows about pollen. Pollen is an incredibly common irritant, particularly during the spring and summer. On the other hand, allergic reactions to mold spores are more prevalent during the fall and winter months. If you’ve ever bitten into something moldy, your immediate reaction would be to spit it out, right? It only follows that your respiratory system would react the same way if it came in contact with mold spores.
There are plenty of other causes, though. If indoor environments are not cleaned regularly, dust mites - microscopic organisms that live in upholstered furniture and carpets - and pet dander may also cause coughing.
But in actuality, these allergens are fairly easy to deal with. That’s why, in less severe cases, you may be able to alleviate your own symptoms by managing your exposure to airborne irritants and taking medication.
What You Can Do To Relieve Your Symptoms
For immediate symptom relief, Valleant’s guide says that you can take antihistamines and decongestants, which block histamine production and reduce nasal inflammation, respectively. However, these are not recommended as long-term treatment options due to their potential side effects.
If you want something more intensive (and probably safer in the long run), you can consider immunotherapy. This practice exposes the body to safe amounts of a specific allergen to gradually desensitize it and reduce the severity of allergic reactions over time.
There are a bunch of little changes you can make to your lifestyle, too. Valleant says that you can invest in air purifiers to reduce the amount of airborne pollutants in your living space. A humidifier may also be worth considering, since dry air doesn’t mix too well with a bad cough.
Additionally, the guide suggests cleaning indoor areas regularly to prevent allergens from accumulating. You’d be surprised at how much good hygiene practices can help!
There are other causes of allergies, of course - not to mention other ways to relieve them. If you want to learn more, check out the rest of Valleant’s guide. It covers all you need to know about allergy coughs and what exactly you can do to breathe easy again.
Visit https://valleant.com/which-allergies-make-you-cough/ to read the full guide!
Valleant City: Austin Address: 11320 North FM 620 Website: https://valleant.com
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