This post was sponsored by CVS Minute Clinic, but all opinions are my own.
Spring is here which for my family it means it’s allergy season. Our entire family seems to suffer from Spring allergies but my son suffers the worst.. poor guy.
Luckily most allergy symptoms can usually be controlled with treatment. The best way to avoid the allergies is to avoid the cause of them.. sometimes that’s impossible so things like nasal saline, decongestants and over-the-counter or prescription antihistamines helps tackle the symptoms.
If you are unsure of what will help you relieved those allergies, the experts at the CVS MinuteClinic can help. Their nurse practitioners and physicians assistants can recommend the right over-the-counter medications and write prescriptions when medically appropriate.
Daily tips to keep healthy and help prevent allergies:
- It’s impossible to keep your kids from coming into contact w/ pollen, but it is possible to get relief – fast! http://bit.ly/1GSqGsG
- Shake it off! Before coming inside, rid your clothes of pollen with a good shake.
- Spring sniffles and sneezing are most likely NOT a cold. Could it be allergies?
- Did you know hair gel could be a pollen magnet? Skip the sticky stuff during allergy season for a little extra relief.
- Avoid window fans! While convenient, they tend to bring in unwanted pollens or mold spores.
- Don’t accessorize w/ itchy red eyes! Visit @MinuteClinic for the allergy relief you need.
- Pull out the shades! Sunglasses protect your eyes from pollen, while keeping you looking stylish at the same time.
- Fall asleep on clean sheets. Wash your bedding every two weeks to help ease allergy symptoms.
Did you know that 35 million Americans suffer from allergies and don’t even know it? That’s because many people confuse the symptoms of spring allergies with a common cold.
Here’s what you need to know about the two:
- The main difference between a cold and allergies is that a cold is caused by a viral infection while allergy symptoms are caused by your body’s own immune system’s attempt to fight off an allergen.
- If you start sniffling and coughing at the same time each year and your symptoms come on suddenly, it may be allergies.
- If you have a cough or are aching all over, it’s probably a cold. Most people with a cold will have a cough, but not everyone with allergies has this symptom. Aches and pains are not symptoms of allergies.
- Those dreadful itchy eyes are a common symptom of allergies but RARELY occur with the common cold!
- If you have a fever, it’s not allergies! Sometimes a fever is present with a cold, but will never occur with allergies.
- A cold will typically clear up pretty quickly, within 7-10 days. Allergies may last weeks or even months. (Ugh.)