You love spending time with your pet, but does it seem like it's causing an allergic reaction? It can be difficult to live with pet allergies, especially when you love pets. You’re not alone. Approximately 31 million individuals experience sinusitis or sinus infection every year, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.Of course, you don’t want to have to give up your beloved animal companions, but you also can’t stand to see anyone in your home suffering from sinusitis with pets. The trick is in seeing if you can find reliable relief for pet allergies before sinusitis forces you to part ways with the animal.

How to Handle Sinusitis Symptoms Caused by Pets

Whether you have recently welcomed a new pet into your home or have been putting up with pet allergy symptoms for some time now, getting relief for allergies is going to be a high priority. People who experience pet allergies while sinusitis symptoms are occurring would be right to wonder whether they can continue to live at home with animal companions.Unlike seasonal allergies, where you experience sinusitis during periods when the plants are putting out their allergens, pet dander can provoke allergic reactions throughout the year, underscoring the importance of tackling pet allergies inside your home.You options to address sinusitis from pet allergies include:

 
• Antihistamines and corticosteroids can temporarily help to reduce inflammation in sinusitis provoked by pets. In some cases, patients may get allergy shots to address the problem.
 
• Get a hypoallergenic cat or dog. This is for people who do not have an allergy-provoking pet now and who do not want to chance having an allergic reaction. However, you cannot guarantee that a so-called hypoallergenic animal will not provoke an allergic response in every person it encounters.
 
• Use a saline wash (irrigate your nasal passages with a gentle solution) to eliminate the thickening and accumulating secretions.
 
• Steam treatment will also help to irrigate your sinus passages. Try doing it at least 3 times a day when symptoms arise.
 
• Install a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) air filtration system to be used with your home’s ventilation, air conditioning and heating equipment. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions about how often you should clean reusable filters or replace single-use filters and mark a reminder in your calendar for best results.

What to Do When These Remedies Don’t Help Your Sinusitis

If anyone in your family has been struggling with pet allergies that lead to painful sinusitis, consider coming in for treatment with balloon sinuplasty. The American Sinus Institute specializes in balloon sinuplasty, offering sinus relief for patients in San Antonio and the greater Houston, Texas area. This procedure is safe and less invasive than traditional sinus surgery. It requires a doctor inflating a balloon inside your sinuses to correct the shape of the passages. To request an appointment, call us today.