How to Treat Allergies in the Elderly

Treating allergies in the elderly can come with many challenges if you don’t know where to start. While allergies affect almost every one of different ages, the conditions are more common in elders than young people. The age-related changes in the seniors’ immune systems leave them more vulnerable to allergic reactions.

Allergies are a common condition, affecting over 50 million Americans every year. Unfortunately, diagnosing, managing, and treating allergies in seniors is tricky because they often take many medications for chronic diseases. The good news is that this guide looks at the best way to treat allergies in the elderly.

Here are things you should know about treating allergies in older adults. 

Allergy Symptoms

Most allergy symptoms are similar to the symptoms of other lung diseases. So, before you treat allergies in seniors, you must tell the difference between the symptoms of lung diseases and allergies. Here are some of the allergy symptoms you should know.

• Sneezing
• Ear congestion
• Postnasal drainage
• Stuffy or runny nose
• Itchy and watery eyes
• Itchy throat, sinuses, and ear canals

Recognize Allergy Triggers

Knowing what triggers allergies can help you protect your senior loved ones from such stimuli. Reducing the seniors’ exposure to allergy triggers is the best strategy to treat allergies. Such triggers are grass, pollen, dust, smoke, pine trees, mold, and chlorine.

Check if the triggers are near your older adult’s immediate environment and take the necessary steps to reduce exposure. For example, you can advise your seniors to stay indoors and close windows to prevent grass, pollen, and pine trees from entering.

Drug-Free Solutions

While medications such as antihistamines can help treat allergies, they can cause many problems. The drugs have dizziness, confusion, urinary retention, dry mouth, and even hypertension. For that reason, you should opt for drug-free solutions.

With drug-free solutions, you focus on preventing triggers from reaching your senior. Try to reduce exposure to allergens, especially during seasons when there’s a lot of pollen. You can also consult a medical professional to inquire about other allergy treatments. 

Watch for Allergy Season 

The most effective way to treat allergies in the elderly is to minimize their exposure to triggers such as pollen during allergy seasons. However, keep in mind that allergies can develop in any age group. Even if your elderly have never had any allergy before, it does not mean they will remain immune forever.

Contact us to learn more about treating allergies in older adults.