Seasonal Allergy Management
A new allergy season is upon us and I’m starting to see watery eyes and hear nose blasts again.
Seasonal allergies, also called “hay fever,” are a common chronic medical problem. At least 17.7 million American adults (7.8 percent of the adult population) and 7 million children (about 9 percent of children) have seasonal allergies.
I would say I’m blessed that traditional hay fever skipped me but I suffer from a different type of “allergy-stimulated condition.” I’ve been narrowing down the different triggers of my severe bouts with atopic eczema, but I still rely on topical steroids to control the unsightly and ITCHY, red rash and bumps. I’m going to save dermatitis and and skin issues for another blog and we’ll stick with the terrible, sinus allergies for this one.
Do you take medication, avoid your allergic reaction triggers or have you gone through a series of “allergy shots” (a form of immunotherapy). I’d like to know how many people have found relief with the different complementary approaches. According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey, “respiratory allergy” is among the 15 conditions for which children in the United States use complementary approaches most frequently.
Tips to Nip Seasonal Allergies in the Bud!
Reduce your exposure to allergy triggers:
To reduce your exposure to the things that trigger your allergy signs and symptoms (allergens):
- Stay indoors on dry, windy days – the best time to go outside is after a good rain, which helps clear pollen from the air.
- Delegate lawn mowing, weed pulling and other gardening chores that stir up allergens.
- Remove clothes you’ve worn outside; you may also want to shower to rinse pollen from your skin and hair.
- Don’t hang laundry outside – pollen can stick to sheets and towels.
- Wear a dust mask if you do outside chores.
Take extra steps when pollen counts are high:
Seasonal allergy signs and symptoms can flare up when there’s a lot of pollen in the air. These steps can help you reduce your exposure:
- Check your local TV or radio station, your local newspaper, or the Internet for pollen forecasts and current pollen levels.
- If high pollen counts are forecasted, start taking allergy medications before your symptoms start.
- Close doors and windows at night or any other time when pollen counts are high.
- Avoid outdoor activity in the early morning when pollen counts are highest.
Keep indoor air clean:
There’s no miracle product that can eliminate all allergens from the air in your home, but these suggestions may help:
- Use the air conditioning in your house and car.
- If you have forced air heating or air conditioning in your house, use high-efficiency filters and follow regular maintenance schedules.
- Keep indoor air dry with a dehumidifier.
- Use a portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter in your bedroom.
- Clean floors often with a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter
Information from mayoclinic.com
Use this infographic to determine if you have seasonal allergies or just a good, ‘ol cold. Then you can look at the various types of allergy treatment.