Allergy season can be the worst time of year for people who experience the symptoms. Runny noses and itchy, watery eyes can dominate your life for months on end. You will find yourself reaching for the box of tissues every time a sneezing attack hits and your medicine cabinet looks like you bought the entire antihistamine section of your local pharmacy. Having allergies can seem like a curse that comes back to haunt you on a yearly basis. Luckily, there are a lot of preventative measures that you can take so that your allergies do not hit you full force. Following these tips will allow you to have some relief during allergy season.
The first thing you will want to do is be aware of your allergens. Once you know what they are you will be able to begin preventative measures. One thing you can do is check your local news and look at the pollen index. There is a daily ranking of the level of pollen being put out by grasses, trees, weeds and outdoor molds. When the levels are too high, you can stay inside. You should also keep the windows up in your car if the levels are high so you do not get pollen in your nose while driving. Checking this index will let you know how bad your symptoms may be when you go outside. You can take medication before going outside if the levels are too high.
Pollen and other allergens can get caught in your hair during the day. This is especially true if you use products like hair spray, mousse or gel that are very sticky. You should start showering at night if you have allergies. You will rinse all of the allergens out of your hair so they will not irritate your nose at night. This may be hard for people who like to shower in the morning, but it will help you sleep well without the irritation of an allergen.
You will need to keep your home cool and dry during the summer if your specific allergen is dust mites. These guys thrive in a warm and moist environment and they can irritate your allergies inside the house. Keeping the temperature in the mid 60s and the humidity between 40% and 45% will get them out of your house. You can buy a dehumidifier to keep humidity levels down during those summer months.
Everyone loves to snuggle up close to their pet. People with allergies find this to be a double-edged sword. They love to be close to their pet, but they are allergic to the protein that is found in their dander, saliva and urine. You do not have to give up your pet if you are allergic to him. Make sure that your bedroom is pet free. You will be able to go into that room and not have any pet related allergies so you can breathe freely. You may also want to keep an entire level of your home pet free, and ensure that the house is vacuumed on a regular basis to ensure you are not always having allergy symptoms because of your pet.
One last thing you can do to prevent allergies is to keep your nose clean. Pollen, dander and all other sorts of allergens can stick to the inside of your nose and you will have constant allergy symptoms. You can try a saline rinse or a type of herbal nasal spray to keep your nose clean. Making sure those allergens are not stuck in your nose all day can help relieve the worst allergy symptoms.
Suffering through the symptoms that come with allergies for many months out of the year can be a miserable experience. Taking the time to prevent allergy symptoms from flaring up will ensure that you do not spend you allergy season with a pocket full of used tissues and a trash can full of antihistamine wrappers.