Any mother who’s dealt with allergies and pregnancy at the same time would be happy to tell you what kind of toll the miracle of life can take. If the sudden torrent of physical changes triggered by a bun in the oven seems overwhelming, just imagine intensified allergies. Luckily, there are ways to make it to your delivery date with your sanity and sinuses intact.
The gifts of life
Mother nature doesn’t pull any punches. Besides the shift in all your body’s mechanisms to prioritize growing a mini-you, certain things you’re used to can change for seemingly no reason at all.
Bloated feet and morning sickness are only the most obvious changes. It’s the little things that really seem to come out of nowhere.
Sinuses can suddenly change to the point where your sense of smell makes you hate aromas you used to love. Your skin can go from dry to oily overnight and even the texture of your hair can decide to reinvent itself.
How worse can it get?
It isn’t an exaggeration to say that allergies during pregnancy can get so bad that families have had to find new homes for their pets or leave things off the shopping list.
Your body’s reaction to pregnancy is a matter of chance but if you do pull the short straw, things like existing or non-existent allergies can suddenly become a thing. The sticky, miserable, cherry-on-top of birthing a small person kind of thing.
A ‘precautionary’ tale
So what do you do if you spot the familiar trifecta of sneezing, itching and congestion? Refrain from reaching for the medicine cabinet. The fine print in most remedies nowadays typically has a clause for expecting or breastfeeding mothers and for good reason.
When your whole body is devoted to making your kid, it stops working the way it normally does. You can go ahead and stay away from allergens like pet dander or pollen, that’s a no brainer. When it comes to taking medicine, you need to be extra careful.
First off, tell your doctor everything. It’s like confession, or your therapist’s couch, but if you leave things out, you could mess things up for you and the baby. Make sure to present prescriptions and treatments, even if they’re over the counter.
Certain allergy fighting staples like antihistamines are great but can worsen your fatigue. Other more heavy-hitting treatments like allergy shots are certainly beneficial for anyone trying to fight off allergies.
Unfortunately, if you decide to try and tackle them in the middle of pregnancy, you’ll have to wait. Your body is just too complicated of a place to start immunotherapy on a whim.
Do You Need a Sinus Doctor to Help You Smell Again?
At Houston Sinus & Allergy, we see a variety of nasal and sinus issues that result in a loss of smell, as well as other stressful or painful situations, and we know how to provide long term relief.
If you’re experiencing difficulty in smelling or nasal breathing, Book an assessment with us, and let us help you breathe normally again.
