If you have allergies, you may be plagued with persistent sneezing, a runny nose, nasal congestion, scratchy throat, and watery eyes. Although antihistamines and decongestants can help improve your symptoms, they can cause some unwanted side effects. Because of this, your allergy care services provider may recommend the following medication-free treatments for your allergies.

Steam Inhalation

Inhaling steam is often very effective in eliminating nasal congestion caused by allergies. Steam helps decrease sinus inflammation, relieves nasal congestion, and helps clear away bacterial allergens. You can either purchase a hand-held steam inhaler or simply inhale the steam from a pot of boiling water.

Inhaling steam will also help relieve throat irritation caused by postnasal drip. In addition, steam helps thin mucus in the nasal cavity, allowing it to drain more freely. Steam can also help keep your nasal passages from drying out, which may help prevent allergens from irritating your sinuses.

Steam inhalation also helps relieve sinus pressure and pain that is often felt under the eyes and over the cheekbones. People who have allergies may be more prone to developing sinus infections. Inhaling steam can help keep your sinuses moist, which will reduce your risk for bacterial infections.

Hydration Therapy

Drinking plenty of water is a simple way to treat your allergies. People who have allergies produce large amounts of histamines, which are the substances that cause sneezing, nasal congestion, runny nose, and hives. Water helps dilute histamines, and when histamine levels drop or become diluted, allergy symptoms improve. Avoid caffeinated beverages because they can trigger histamine release and they also can cause dehydration, which can also intensify the effects of histamines.

Drinking enough water also helps ensure that mucus effectively drains out of the nose. Allergies often cause mucus to become very thick and, in some cases, obstruct the airway in the throat if you have post-nasal drip. Your allergist will tell you how much water you should drink in order to relieve your symptoms. It is important to note that if your physician has put you on a fluid-restricted diet because of congestive heart failure or otherwise, you may need to restrict your water intake.

If you want to learn more about medication-free allergy treatment options, make an appointment with your doctor. Before he or she can recommend a treatment plan, however, you may need to undergo allergy sensitivity testing to determine which allergens you are sensitive to.