Spring is a beautiful season because it brings warmer temperatures and blooming flowers. These factors make this time of the year blissful and enjoyable for most people. However, it is also a painful period for those who experience seasonal allergies. Read on to know the tips that can help you get through this allergy season.
Allergies arise when your immune system and the entire body react negatively to various substances referred to as allergens. Common allergens include dust mites, grasses, mold spores, and pollen. Allergies affect different individuals differently. However, they exhibit common symptoms such as coughing, stuffy nose, runny nose, sneezing, asthma attacks, rashes, and scratchy throat
Approximately 50 million Americans experience seasonal allergens every year. You can keep yourself free from these allergy symptoms through the following tips.
1. Take Over-the-Counter Medication
Taking over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants can help you cope with the allergy symptoms. You can look into dust mite allergy treatment to help alleviate symptoms. You should always confer with a healthcare specialist before taking these medications so that he or she can advise you on the best option. You can also purchase a nasal moisturizer here: https://serp.co/best/nasal-moisturizers/. It can be used to treat dryness inside the nose (nasal passages), as well as adding moisture inside the nose to dissolve and soften thick or crusty mucus.
2. Stay Hydrated
Healthcare experts always advise people to drink adequate water during allergy season. Hydration minimizes the production of histamine levels and makes you less vulnerable to allergies. Past studies in this field indicate that dehydration makes allergy symptoms worse. There are many other ways to stay more hydrated.
3. Stay Indoors on Very Windy Days
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) indicates that wind enables pollen grains to travel from their original source to different destinations through the air. If you are allergic to pollen grains, staying indoors will help you minimize the allergic symptoms. The most appropriate time to go outside is after a rainy day because rain reduces pollen count in the air.
4. Remove Your Shoes and Clothes After You Get Home
Your work shoe and clothes can carry and spread allergens throughout your house if you keep them on. This means that you will continue to experience severe symptoms even inside your home.
The best way to protect yourself from this situation is to remove them outside your door and keep them in a hamper. Additionally, you should wipe your pet’s fur and paws before they enter the house.
5. Shower
Nobody wants to go to bed or lay down covered in pollen. Therefore, you should take a shower after you get home. It will help you get rid of the particles that are clinging to your body or hair.
6. Wear A Mask When Doing Outdoor Chores
Wearing a surgical mask when tending your yard can reduce your exposure to various allergens, such as pollen grains. Masks that the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has approved filter approximately 95% of particles.
7. Keep the Doors and Windows Closed on Windy Days
Closed doors and windows will protect you and your family from a pollen-filled breeze. However, you should consider opening them when the weather is calm to allow fresh air in the house.
8. Purchase an Air Purifier
Buying an air purifier can also help you enjoy the warm weather without experiencing allergic reactions. These gadgets remove airborne particles from your home or workspace and facilitate the circulation of clean air. Ensure that the air conditioner or purifier is high efficiency.
9. Keep Your Home Clean
It is impossible to remove every allergen from your home. However, dusting and vacuuming the entire space frequently can minimize your exposure to different contaminants. There are so many health benefits of a clean home, and avoiding allergy symptoms.
10. Use a Saline Nasal Rinse
The role of saline rinses is to minimize allergic symptoms by clearing pollen and other contaminants from your nasal passages. Saline sprays also moisturize the nasal passages and remove mucus congestion to make breathing easier.
You can rinse the nasal passage using a neti pot or nasal sprays. If you are not comfortable with a nasal spray, you can gargle a saline solution such as saltwater to ease the throat irritation. Do it once or twice a day.
In conclusion, spring is popular for warm weather, beautiful vegetation, and severe allergies. You can take control of the allergy symptoms by minimizing your outdoor time, taking OTC medications, showering before bed, staying hydrated, and keeping your house clean. If these techniques are not helpful, you should consider seeking medical assistance from an allergist.