Five ways to relieve allergy symptoms

It's the time of year when many people complain about seasonal allergy symptoms such as runny noses, congestion, rashes, itchy and watery eyes, sneezing, coughing - and just generally feeling miserable.

Allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to a substance that doesn't bother most people. In the spring, pollen is what gets to some people. But indoor allergies - to dust mites, dust, or pet dander, for instance - can cause problems all year round.

If your allergy symptoms have you feeling lousy, this list of allergy treatments and prevention strategies may help you find relief:

1. Clean out your nose. Using a saltwater nose rinse is a natural option that can help clear out pollen and other irritants in the nose, says Jeremy S. Melker, an ear, nose, and throat doctor in Gainesville, Fla., who specializes in allergies. A 2007 study found that irrigating your nose works better than using commercial saline nasal sprays.

2. Try an over-the-counter allergy medicine. In recent years, two oral antihistamines that were previously available only by prescription became available over the counter. That means you can pick up Claritin (loratadine) or Zyrtec (cetirizine) without a visit to a doctor. These medications are "good for blocking histamine, which causes sneezing, itching, runny nose, and watery eyes," says Robert Fisher, the medical director at a Wisconsin-based practice called Allergy Research and Care. These medications are less likely to make you sleepy than older antihistamines like Benadryl.

If OTC antihistamines don't work for you - or your favorite allergy medication disappears from store shelves, as Drixoral has - seeing a doctor may help, Fisher says. A prescription antihistamine, such as Allegra or Xyzal, is an option if Claritin or Zyrtec don't help you.

3. Consider a prescription nasal spray or eye drops. Prescription steroid nose sprays, such as Flonase and Nasonex, work by reducing swelling in the nose, which can provide relief from nasal allergy symptoms.

Antihistamine nasal sprays, on the other hand, work by blocking histamine. They're like oral antihistamines, except the active ingredient is delivered directly into the nose, straight to the site of some people's most bothersome allergy symptoms. Some allergists prescribe them to patients who can't find symptom relief from oral antihistamines.

Nasal-spray options include Astelin, which has been available by prescription since 1996, and Patanase and Asterpro, both approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last year.

Eyedrops, such as Patanol, Optivar, and Pataday, can help soothe the itchy, watery eyes that come with allergic conjunctivitis, also known as eye allergies. All require a doctor's prescription.

4. Decongestants may also help relieve nasal congestion. A variety of decongestant medications are available without a prescription, though you may have to ask for your favorite medicine at the pharmacy counter if it contains pseudoephedrine. A law that took effect in 2006 requires anyone buying a medication containing pseudoephedrine to show an ID when making the purchase. An ingredient called phenylephrine has replaced pseudoephedrine in many OTC medicines, but some say they don't think it works as well at clearing congestion.

Decongestant nasal sprays are another OTC option, but don't use them for longer than three days. Overuse can create a rebound effect of narrowing and constricting the blood vessels of your nose.

5. If things get bad, try allergy shots. "Allergy shots can help a lot of the symptoms, especially when people have tried all the other stuff and are still having problems," Fisher says. These shots involve being regularly injected with a small amount of the substance you're allergic to. The idea is to stimulate your immune system and help your body become desensitized to the allergens, according to the Mayo Clinic. A Cochrane Collaboration review updated in 2003 found that allergy shots help timprove symptoms of asthma, reduce the need for medications, and lessen the risk of severe asthma attacks.

Allergy shots require a time commitment - typically several years of weekly to monthly shots to completely finish the course of treatment. And because patients are injected with substances that they're allergic to, there is a risk of allergic reactions after the injections. For this reason, doctors typically require patients to remain in their offices for a few minutes after each session of immunotherapy.

Another option is immunotherapy delivered orally via drops or tablets, which was found in a 2008 study to be effective in kids with allergic asthma.