Seasonal allergy treatments: VERIFY Fact Sheet

Temperatures are rising and flowers are blooming, but the approaching spring season also means an onslaught of allergy symptoms for many. According to Cleveland Clinic, around 20% of Americans suffer from seasonal allergies, which are associated with symptoms like a stuffy nose, itchy eyes and throat, and headaches. 

Online search trends show an increased interest in treatment options for allergies this time of year. We VERIFY the answers to common questions about allergy treatments. 

THE SOURCES

• Kara Wada, M.D.
• Santhosh Kumar, M.D.
• A Harvard Health Publishing article
• American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
• An Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America article
• A McGill University article 
• Cleveland Clinic
• A Mayo Clinic article
• A Temple Health article
• American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy
• A Chicago Chiropractic and Sports Injury Centers article
• Pacific Allergy & Asthma

QUESTION #1

Is it beneficial to start taking allergy medicine before symptoms start?

THE ANSWER

WHAT WE FOUND

It can be beneficial to start taking allergy medicine before symptoms start, typically earlier in the season before environmental allergens are at their peak.

Allergy symptoms are caused by histamines, a chemical released during allergic reactions. Allergy medicines can come in a variety of forms including nasal sprays, pills, eyedrops or liquids. Some are antihistamines, which block the histamine release, while others are corticosteroids, which treat inflammation. 

Starting medicine early on gives the medicine time to become more effective, and being proactive can help prevent severe flare-ups as the season progresses, experts say. 

“A lot of times, starting medication early means you can use less medication when symptoms really ramp up,” Kara Wada, M.D., says. 

Once symptoms begin to persist, inflammation may occur, making it harder for allergy medications to fully improve symptoms. 

If there’s “so much inflammation in your nasal and sinus passages,” Santhosh Kumar, M.D., even a “little pollen is enough to trigger all of the symptoms.” By starting allergy medicine early, you may be able to prevent inflammation, allowing the allergy medicine to treat symptoms more effectively. 

Some medications, like corticosteroid nasal sprays, may take longer to become effective, so starting them early in the season can also be beneficial, a Harvard Health Publishing article notes.

Wada recommends those with springtime allergies begin taking their daily medicine around Valentine’s Day.

The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology also recommends starting around Valentine’s Day, with President Kathleen May, M.D., adding that “although spring allergies aren’t necessarily top of mind in February, climate change means that temperatures are rising, and allergy symptoms occur earlier in the year. In southern regions of the United States, allergies often start at the end of January.”

If you miss the February 14th date, it’s not necessarily too late to start taking allergy medicine. A Harvard Health Publishing article recommends starting allergy medication a month in advance of when you expect to get allergy symptoms.

QUESTION #2

Is honey an effective allergy treatment?

THE ANSWER 

WHAT WE FOUND

Experts say honey is not an effective allergy treatment. It’s a commonly held belief that because local honey is made using pollen in the area, eating it could cause the body to build a tolerance to pollen allergies. The reality is that the pollen in honey is typically different from the pollen that causes allergic reactions. While honey can be helpful to soothe a sore throat or help with a cough, it doesn’t take the place of an allergy treatment.

“The pollen in honey tends to come from plants that require bees to actually help them reproduce, while the pollen that we become allergic to are trees and other grasses that require the wind to help them reproduce,” Wada explains. This means that by eating honey, you would not be consuming the same type of pollen that causes allergy symptoms. 

The type of pollen that is in honey is also heavily broken down, as “bees mix their food with enzymes,” which “changes the pollen protein,” an Asthma and Allergy Foundation article explains.

Even if there were the right amount of the right kind of pollen in honey, it still would not effectively treat allergies. You would have to consume large amounts of honey every day to begin to build any sort of tolerance.

In order for the body to build up a tolerance to something, a lot of it would have to be consumed everyday. “Immunotherapy works via a sustained and chronic dosing regimen to induce tolerance,” a McGill University article says.

QUESTION #3

Are nasal sprays more effective at treating sinus symptoms than other types of allergy medicines?

THE ANSWER

WHAT WE FOUND

Nasal steroid sprays are more effective at treating sinus symptoms than other types of allergy medicines, experts say. This is because they treat inflammation, in addition to other allergy symptoms. 

“Nasal sprays really are the best medical therapy we have for managing allergic rhinitis, or hay fever,” allergist Mark Aronica, M.D., says in a Cleveland Clinic article.

Nasal steroid sprays are more effective because they treat inflammation and are taken locally. “Nasal steroid sprays block inflammation and swelling caused by airborne irritants and allergens, and prevent allergy symptoms,” according to a Mayo Clinic article. 

Because nasal sprays are taken up your nose where symptoms may occur, it's also more effective compared to oral medications, Kumar adds. 

The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology adds that those who suffer from persistent allergy symptoms benefit best from intranasal corticosteroids, and the medications “may even help control the symptoms that accompany eye allergies.”

QUESTION #4

Can exercising help decrease allergy symptoms?

THE ANSWER  

WHAT WE FOUND

Working out can help open up nasal passages and indirectly improve allergy symptoms, but if you exercise outdoors, it can make things worse.

Kumar explains that “cardio workouts have some beneficial effect on your nose and sinuses because it tends to open up those passages” so you are “less congested because you’re exercising and moving around.”

Exercise can also help with allergies because of its ability to reduce stress and inflammation.

“Exercise is a powerful stress reliever, and by reducing stress, you may experience fewer allergy flare-ups,” Pacific Allergy & Asthma says. The practice adds that pilates and cardiovascular exercises can strengthen the respiratory system, “making it more resilient against allergens.”

But Wada warns that exercising outdoors with allergies can create additional symptoms and problems. It’s recommended to switch up your workout routine by exercising indoors to avoid any triggers. 

The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy notes that the best time to workout outdoors without to avoid allergens, if necessary, is during or after rainy weather. 

This story is also available in Spanish / Lee este artículo también en español: Tratamientos para las alergias estacionales: Hoja de Datos VERIFY