Medicine Cabinet Makeover Before & After – Tips for Allergy Sufferers

Our medicine cabinet makeover was sponsored by Chloraseptic. As always, all thoughts are my own!

Allergies are running rampant, and most of us are searching for a quick and easy relief. If you’re anything like me, you stock up on things in advance so that you’re prepared for these events as they come. In the case of allergy medicine, however, that can actually be a BAD thing! If this is surprising to you, then you’ll definitely want to continue reading (I was pretty surprised myself).

So there I was, sneezing and sniffling everywhere we went. I had to cut my outing short, just to run home and grab some allergy medicine. I went straight to my medicine cabinet and grabbed something that looked useful straight from the shelf. Luckily, I have a habit of reading the label each and every time I take medicine. In this case, that habit really paid of. The medicine was expired! This led me to wondering what else in the cabinet was no longer good.

After searching through all the medicine in the cabinet and checking dates, more than half of it ended up in the trash can. I ended up stopping by the store and replacing my medicine as well as stocking up on some new remedies! One of these remedies is Chloraspetic Spray. I think this may be one of my new favorite products. Chloraspetic spray isn’t like my other allergies medicines. It’s actually effective all year round. That’s because it cures sore throats, which are just as prevalent in the winter months as they are during these summer months when they’re caused by my allergies.

This is a reminder to my readers, CLEAN OUT YOUR MEDICINE CABINET! Schedule time this week to go through and check expiration on your medication. Check for old prescriptions and DISPOSE of them properly (be sure to dispose of them out of the reach of young children/pets/etc.) You may find yourself needing to stock up on certain medications again. It’s always so much better to get these things BEFORE they are actually needed!

We recently had the opportunity to interview Dr. Daniel Hussar M.D. to help us prepare for the upcoming allergy season:

Q: What time of the year are allergies the worst?

A: Allergies are the worst when pollen counts are highest and this usually occurs in hotter weather in the summer and early fall.  Runny nose, sneezing, itching of the nose and eyes, and nasal congestion  are early symptoms.  Some individuals also experience sore throat and cough.

Q: What are your tips to relieve allergy symptoms?

A: An antihistamine will help neutralize the allergy and reduce most nose and eye symptoms.  Common antihistamines include loratadine and diphenhydramine.  However, diphenhydramine causes sedative effects such as drowsiness and appropriate precautions must be observed.  Loratadine is a non-sedating antihistamine and is not likely to cause drowsiness or fatigue.  Although antihistamines relieve some nasal symptoms, they are not likely to relieve nasal congestion.  If this symptom is bothersome, a nasal decongestant can also be used and there are combination products that include both an antihistamine and a decongestant.  Some nasal decongestants like pseudoephedrine, are administered orally, whereas others like oxymetazoline, are used in a nasal spray or drops.  The nasal spray and drops formulations have a fast onset of action but should be used for no longer than 3 days because of the possibility of “rebound congestion.”  For the relief of a sore throat, throat lozenges or sprays like Chloraseptic provide a prompt response.  Their ingredients like the local anesthetic benzocaine act directly where the discomfort exists, and only small amounts get into the system so side effects are not likely.  A pharmacist is the best resource of information in selecting a particular product that is the best match for your symptoms, and for providing instructions on how to use it most effectively.

 Q: What things can you do in your home to prevent allergies?

A: Some allergens like dust mites may be present year-round.  Other allergens like those causing hay fever are present when pollen counts are highest.  More frequent cleaning of the home will help reduce exposure to allergens.  During seasons when pollen counts are highest, it is best to keep the windows closed and rely on air-conditioning for cooling.

Q: What products should we stock up on to help us through the allergy season?

A: It is advisable to have certain medications readily available for use when symptoms occur.  With respect to relieving allergy symptoms, I recommend that you have available an antihistamine like loratadine, a nasal decongestant, and a throat spray or lozenges like Chloraseptic for sore throats.  It is also wise to have an analgesic such as acetaminophen available, because headaches may also be experienced by some individuals with allergies.

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