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What Is Astelin Prescribed For?

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More than 50 million Americans experience some type of allergy throughout the year. In fact, allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the US. 

Fortunately, there are several medications that can help relieve the symptoms of seasonal allergies. One popular type is called Astelin. In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about Astelin nasal spray and what it’s used for.

Keep reading to learn more. 

Why Do Seasonal Allergies Happen?

As mentioned earlier, tens of millions of Americans are affected by seasonal allergies or allergic rhinitis every year. As the seasons change, it can be annoying when your body is affected.

Why does this happen?

Allergies are usually triggered by pollen that is carried by trees, grass, weeds, and mold. When seasons change, the wind takes this pollen directly to your nose, eyes, and skin. 

Usually, the most active seasonal allergic time is mid-to-late spring but can change depending on your area. When you have a seasonal allergic reaction, your overly active immune system coordinates a complicated mix of chemical and cellular interactions.

When your body first encounters an allergen, your body produces an immune system protein known as an antibody. As your body goes through a process called sensitization, your immune system stores the antibody in case it meets the allergen again in the future.

As the body sensitizes, the pollen is surrounded by immune cells and calls the attention of white blood cells. Together, they focus on the pollen as a foreign entity.

In the end, these cells attack the foreign invader. Although your immune system might think it’s doing a great job at protecting your body, the response causes an overblown reaction that results in:

• Nasal congestion
• Runny and stuffy nose
• Sneezing
• Coughing

The symptoms usually begin to recede after 30 minutes but happen continually throughout the season.

What is Astelin and How Is it Used?

Astelin spray is a popular prescription medicine that helps combat several symptoms that relate to seasonal allergies, including sneezing, seasonal allergic rhinitis, itchy nose, and more. 

The generic version of Astelin is known as azelastine nasal spray. It is a medication that belongs to a class of drugs called antihistamines. 

It functions by helping release a chemical called histamine from cells in the body. This chemical helps relieve allergic symptoms like runny or stuffy nose and sneezing.

What Are the Side Effects of Astelin?

Astelin has a number of side effects that it can cause the user. Here are some of the more common side effects:

• Sore throat
• Drowsiness
• Skin rash
• Fever
• Bitter taste in the mouth
• Nose pain or discomfort
• Ear infection
• Vomiting
• Coughing
• Nosebleeds
• Headache
• Upper respiratory tract infection
• Sneezing

Most of these symptoms are not serious and tend to go away after a few days or weeks. If you experience persistent side effects that don’t go away, contact a pharmacist or doctor.

Astelin is considered a long-term treatment for seasonal allergies. If you suddenly stop taking the drug, your allergy symptoms could return. This also goes for if you don’t take the medication on a timely schedule. 

If you take too much Astelin, you could get dangerous levels of the drug in your body that can lead to an overdose. If you think you’ve taken too much, make sure to reach out to a poison control center or go to the nearest emergency room right away.

Tips For Taking Astelin

If you decide to start using Astelin nasal spray (OTC), keep these tips in mind. 

First, always take your medication with you, especially when traveling. If you’re getting on a plane, keep it in your carry-on bag in case you start experiencing symptoms. No need to worry about X-ray machines as they do not affect the medication.

Only spray Astelin into your nose as your doctor recommends. If you have any questions, make sure to reach out to a medical professional to ensure you are taking it correctly.

What Other Things Can You Do To Get Control of Seasonal Allergies?

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you probably would do anything to get away from the symptoms. The good news is that there are several things you can do to lessen its severity.

The best approach is to avoid the pollen that causes symptoms. The less you inhale what you’re allergic to, the fewer symptoms you’ll experience. The best way to do this is to be aware of what is coming.

There are several apps that can provide an allergy forecast in your area. It’ll provide an accurate pollen count as well as show you how seasonal or behavioral patterns are affecting your allergies.

Next, as mentioned earlier, antihistamines like Astelin can help prevent the symptoms by blocking bad histamines from attaching to your nasal areas. 

Another option is steroids. There is a nasal dosage medication that can lower inflammatory mediators in the nose, which can give you better relief. 

For more severe cases, immunotherapy can help train your immune system to stop overreacting to allergens. In this process, higher doses of the allergens are injected or taken orally into the body. This will help reduce symptoms by allowing your body to become habituated to the stimulus and learn to adapt to it.

However, it should be noted that it can take up to three years to start feeling the best benefits from immunotherapy. Because of this, many patients who begin it don’t finish, so they don’t reap the full benefits of the treatment.

Get Your Seasonal Allergies Under Control

That’s everything you need to know about Astelin. It can play a big part in controlling annoying seasonal allergy symptoms that come around every year.

However, not every pharmacy has Astelin. If you need a reliable, international online pharmacy, look no further. Kiwi Drug offers several popular drugs and medicines at competitive pharmacy prices.

Learn more about our products today!