It can be tough to enjoy the summer months if hay fever and pollen allergies persist. You do not have to stay indoors while everyone else is taking advantage of the weather. Keep reading to find out how to control your allergies and make breathing easier.
For safety’s sake, always test a new over-the-counter antihistamine at home. Some of these drugs can make you sleepy and impair your reflexes. It’s always a good idea to try the medication out in a safe environment once or twice. Although the label may not include any dramatic warnings, you don’t want to find out that you react poorly to the medicine while you’re driving.
Help keep allergens at bay by not opening windows. If your windows are opened, dust and pollen will come in and raise the dickens with your allergies. Also, to eliminate allergens, be sure your air conditioning and vents are clean.
In good weather, you might want to open all of your windows in order to reduce your energy bill. However, this should be avoided because it might cause your allergies to flare up. Air conditioners with HEPA filters will help remove allergens from indoor air. This might not feel quite as fresh but it will help you breathe easier.
Many sufferers of allergens know they should make use of a humidifier in their bedrooms for moistening their airways while they are sleeping. This could actually be counterproductive, as the water vapor humidifiers emit can land on the carpet, which increases the likelihood that mold or other allergens will proliferate. Nasal saline spray administered at bedtime is a far better idea.
If you have allergies that always manifest themselves in a certain way, then it may be better to address the symptoms while you are working on dealing with the source of the problem. For example, if you often have red, itchy eyes as an allergy symptom, use drops meant to help lessen that issue. As another example, those with scratchy throats can carry throat lozenges or mints.
If you see signs of mice or bugs, enlist the aid of a professional exterminator. The droppings of vermin, such as cockroaches and rodents, can seriously exacerbate the symptoms of allergies. An exterminator will be able to get rid of these pests, meaning your symptoms will be relieved.
If at all possible, do not bring rugs or carpets into your home. It is next to impossible to get carpet completely clean, since the fibers act as a trap for many allergens such as dust mites, pollen, and pet dander. Make use of flooring that can be mopped or swept clean instead.
It is important for you to limit your exposure to whatever triggers your allergy symptoms. Keep your home free of dust and dirt, and keep your windows closed so that dust doesn’t enter easily. If you are allergic to your pets, you might have to consider re-homing them if your allergies are really bad. If you can’t bear to part with them, then make sure that they are keep well groomed. Pet dander can be kept to a minimum with regular dusting and vacuuming.
Keep your bathroom clean. Bathrooms attract and collect mold, so they need a good scrubbing at least once weekly. You can rid your bathroom of mold by cleaning your walls with a bleach and water mixture. Mold causes many allergy problems, but washing the walls with bleach will discourage its growth.
Coping Strategies
Even though skin tests can tell you what you are allergic to, they don’t tell you how extreme your allergies are. For instance, your allergy panel may show that you have allergies to a particular kind of spore. Sometimes allergy symptoms are so mild that they are unnoticeable and cause no discomfort.
Avoiding stimuli that cause you to have allergic reactions is certainly a way to reduce your symptoms, but there are less drastic coping strategies that work just as well. Increase your quality of life by learning about the various coping strategies available to you, beginning with this very article. The advice in this article makes it possible to control your allergy symptoms instead of letting them control you!