{"id":9734,"date":"2022-12-29T17:03:03","date_gmt":"2022-12-30T01:03:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/?p=9734"},"modified":"2022-12-29T17:03:04","modified_gmt":"2022-12-30T01:03:04","slug":"how-allergies-can-affect-senior-citizens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/how-allergies-can-affect-senior-citizens\/","title":{"rendered":"How Allergies Can Affect Senior Citizens"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Allergies are a common ailment that affects people of all ages. Research shows us that roughly <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3339328\/\" target=\"_blank\">5-10% of patients above 65 years have allergies<\/a> and that the condition \u201coften persists into older age and can occasionally make its initial appearance in the elderly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s take a closer look at how allergies can affect older adults as well as what can be done to manage <a href=\"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/allergy\/allergies\/allergy-symptoms\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">allergy symptoms.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Allergies Can Happen at Any Age <\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" src=\"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/iStock-1055560846-1280x853.jpg\" alt=\"Older woman with allergies blowing her nose.\" class=\"wp-image-9737\" srcset=\"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/iStock-1055560846-1280x853.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/entsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/iStock-1055560846-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/entsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/iStock-1055560846-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/entsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/iStock-1055560846-scaled.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Though most allergies develop in childhood, plenty of people experience allergy symptoms for the first time as an adult, even an older adult. On the flip side, it\u2019s also possible that allergies you experienced when you were younger start to become less intense or even go away completely as you age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Allergy Symptoms in Seniors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Allergy symptoms in seniors are similar to those experienced by people of all ages with allergies. They may include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Sneezing<\/li><li>Runny nose<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/ear-nose-throat\/nose\/nasal-congestion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nasal congestion<\/a><\/li><li>Scratchy throat<\/li><li>Itchy, watery eyes<\/li><li>Postnasal drip<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Since symptoms of seasonal allergies mimic so many other conditions, it\u2019s important to see a doctor to rule out other possibilities. If it\u2019s a cold, the flu, COVID-19, or even a chronic condition like COPD, it\u2019s important to get the correct diagnosis and treatment so that your symptoms do not become more severe. If your doctor suspects that your symptoms are caused by allergies, they may refer you to an allergist for further evaluation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Importance of Treating Your Allergies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An allergist can perform allergy testing via blood or skin prick tests to help verify your specific triggers and come up with an effective treatment plan. Options include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Avoiding triggers.<\/strong> The easiest way to prevent allergy symptoms is by not coming in contact with your allergens. This may be easier to do with food allergies than allergies to pollen, dust mites or mold. However, you can still reduce exposure to those triggers by keeping your home clean, using an air purifier, and keeping the windows of your home and car closed.<\/li><li><strong>Medications.<\/strong> Antihistamines, decongestants and nasal sprays are all available options for helping to manage allergy symptoms. Your allergist may recommend an over-the-counter brand or prescribe stronger medications based on your medical history and the severity of your symptoms.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if your allergy symptoms are less severe and more of a nuisance, they can negatively affect your day-to-day life. They can make it harder to get a good night\u2019s sleep or be able to fully enjoy working in your garden or playing chess at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.southsalemseniors.org\/programs\/games\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">South Salem Senior Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re experiencing symptoms, call the expert allergists at <span class=\"company-name \">Willamette ENT &amp; Facial Plastic Surgery<\/span> today to schedule an appointment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><ul class=\"related-posts\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/understanding-cold-vs-allergy-symptoms-how-to-tell-the-difference\/\" class=\"related-post\">Understanding Cold vs. Allergy Symptoms: How to Tell the Difference<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/your-cozy-abode-might-be-fueling-your-allergies-this-winter\/\" class=\"related-post\">Your Cozy Abode Might Be Fueling Your Allergies This Winter<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/could-honey-cure-your-allergies\/\" class=\"related-post\">Could Honey Cure Your Allergies?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Allergies are a common ailment that affects people of all ages. Research shows us that roughly 5-10% of patients above 65 years have allergies and that the condition \u201coften persists into older age and can occasionally make its initial appearance in the elderly.\u201d Let\u2019s take a closer look at how allergies can affect older adults&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9737,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"Let\u2019s take a closer look at how allergies can affect older adults as well as what can be done to manage allergy symptoms.","_seopress_robots_index":"","schema":"","fname":"","lname":"","position":"","credentials":"","placeID":"","no_match":false,"name":"","company":"","review":"","address":"","city":"","state":"","zip":"","lat":"","lng":"","phone1":"","phone2":"","fax":"","mon1":"","mon2":"","tue1":"","tue2":"","wed1":"","wed2":"","thu1":"","thu2":"","fri1":"","fri2":"","sat1":"","sat2":"","sun1":"","sun2":"","hours-note":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9734"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9734"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9734\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9739,"href":"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9734\/revisions\/9739"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9734"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9734"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entsalem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9734"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}