Seasonal Allergies: I did a deep dive into the scientific literature to see what works

I have been answering health questions I personally have, as a way to start a YouTube channel. My allergies have started kicking in this year so I was motivated to get through this topic ASAP. I learned a lot in the process and I am hoping the research I did is helpful for others too.

Seasonal allergies was a bigger topic than I expected and the video ended up getting super long. Here are my main things I learned/verified for those that do not want to watch:

• Seasonal allergies are getting worse. Pollen starts earlier, lasting longer, and hitting more people than they used to.

• Zyrtec is generally considered safe long term, but it can cause more drowsiness than Claritin or Allegra.

• Nasal steroid sprays work better than oral antihistamines, but they need daily use and a couple weeks to start to work.

• Local honey and stinging nettle are not well proven. Small studies suggest maybe, but the evidence is too weak to rely on them as main treatment.

• Sublingual immunotherapy retrains the immune system, and it does not require a blood test if done through regular allergy testing. It can even provide a benefit even after you stop.

If you are brave and want to watch the whole 40+ minute thing(or scrub through the chapters) you can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG-n5MJC8gA