Over 50 million Americans suffer from some kind of allergic disease, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. For this reason, there are a number of treatments available to reduce the severity of allergy symptoms, as well as for the prevention of allergic reactions.

Most allergy treatments are designed to relieve one or more of the symptoms of an allergic reaction (e.g., runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes, skin rashes, difficulty breathing). Allergy-relief treatments work for a relatively short amount of time and are usually in the form of medications, including:

• Antihistamines (prevent the release of symptom-causing chemicals into the body)
  
  
• Decongestants (reduce nasal and chest congestion)
  
  
• Corticosteroids and NSAIDs (reduce inflammation)
  
  
• Bronchodilators (open breathing passages)
  
  
• Other medications (e.g., mast stabilizers cell)

Allergy medications can be administered to an individual through a number of methods, including pills, inhalers, nasal sprays, eye drops, nebulizers and topical creams.

While it is not possible to prevent an allergy from developing, there are some allergy treatments that may prevent allergic reactions (and therefore symptoms) from occurring. These include:

• Avoidance. The best way to prevent an allergic reaction is to completely avoid the known allergen (e.g., pollen, dust, pet dander). However, avoiding an allergen is often difficult when the allergen is constantly present or an individual is highly sensitive. Although complete avoidance may not be possible, there are ways to limit exposure to allergens.
  
  
• Allergy shots. This treatment is designed to help a person with a known allergy to overcome their sensitivity to a certain allergen. Through a series of shots, usually over a period of months or years, an individual is gradually exposed to increasing amounts of an allergen until their immune system becomes tolerant to that allergen.  However, success is not guaranteed, and there are some risks. Some people fail to respond to the treatment at all, while others may experience severe reactions. In addition, allergy shots are not effective at treating some types of allergies (e.g., food allergies).  Allergy shots

Depending on the symptoms associated with the allergy, a surgical treatment may be available. For instance, a myringotomy (a procedure to drain fluid from the ears) may be used to treat ear infections associated with allergic reactions.

There are many “home remedies” and other alternative allergy treatments that are popular. These include types of acupuncture, homeopathic remedies and traditional Chinese medicine. Some may be accepted by licensed physicians and used widely. However, others are not recommended by licensed physicians. These forms of treatment should not be attempted without first speaking to a physician.