Sneeze, cough, cough, blow your nose, rinse and repeat again. Does this sound like your life lately?
If so, maybe what you’re wrestling with is not just a common cold. Perhaps it’s time to make an appointment with an allergy doctor.
You might think: But I’ve never had allergies. Or: I feel too sick for this to be fodder for a visit with an allergy specialist. But rest assured, severe seasonal allergies can be a chronic battle, and one that stops you in your track. Here are a few signs it’s time to visit an ENT allergist.
1. Your colds Last Forever
Does it seem like you can never shake the sniffles? Beyond the fact that a constant common cold is a miserable state of being, have you considered that it may not be a cold at all?
Common natural allergens (such as pollen) rear their ugly heads year-round in certain climates. You might just be living in such a region, and if you are affected, the issues are unsurprisingly constant. You may just be one of the 50 million-plus Americans who experience various natural-born allergies each year.
2. Your Eyes Itch
Are your eyes irritated and gooey from residue all day — Not just when you wake up?
Those aren’t tears of frustration about your never-ending “cold” (although you probably swear you could cry over it). Sticky, gushy, gooey eyes are a clear sign of needing to see an allergy doctor.
When an allergen makes contact with the antibodies in your eyes, your eyes release histamine and other chemicals that cause your eyes to release liquid. This reaction is often coupled with itchy and irritated skin on and around the eyelids.
Though this symptom may not warrant a visit with a hybrid allergy and asthma specialist (irritated eyes may present without any respiratory issues), it’s a good idea to see an allergy doctor for a prescription that can provide relief from this chronic annoyance.
3. Your Colds Are Seasonal
Do you get sick at roughly the same time each year? It’s not a coincidence.
Allergists say that when you are plagued with seasonal allergies, you are bound to experience cold-like symptoms at the same time each year. this typically includes getting sick during the spring or summer. Before visiting an allergy doctor, test this theory by taking an over-the-counter anti-allergy medicine for a week or so. If your symptoms are alleviated (especially in terms of the watery eyes and irritated throat and nose) you most likely have allergies.
Are You Ready For A Visit With An Allergy Doctor
If you think you owe it to your health to visit an allergy doctor, visit one of the best allergy and asthma clinics in Houston TX as soon as you can. Learn more about what an allergist can help you with by contacting us today.
