How does one treat allergic rhinitis from ragweed? Basically, the same way that we treat other allergy symptoms.
The first way is to try to avoid the ragweed pollen, which may be difficult.You can keep your windows in your home/apartment or car closed and run the air-conditioning. You can also take a shower after being outside to wash off the pollens.
However, these measures may not be enough, and the next step is to take medications such as nasal steroid sprays and anti-histamine pills. It is best to start taking these medications about two weeks before the ragweed season starts.
It is also important, as I have previously stressed, to make sure that your symptoms are secondary to ragweed allergy by visiting the allergist who will perform testing. If your ragweed allergy symptoms are not well controlled by medications, the next step is to start allergy shots, but these do not work immediately, taking about four to five months to take effect. Therefore allergy shots will help for the next fall. Again, if you have further questions, please feel free to address them to the Web site.
More on ragweed season:
Click here for more tips to avoiding symptoms during ragweed season.
Is a vaccine for ragweed allergy a possibility in the future?
