Welcome to spring, the time of year where you’ll see blossoming flowers, budding trees, and people coughing, sneezing, and in tears due to seasonal allergies.
Allergens are present all year round, and allergies develop when your body’s immune system becomes sensitized and overacts to something in the environment. In the spring, the most common trigger is pollen, which leaves many coughing, sneezing, watery or itchy eyes, and postnasal drip for a few weeks to at least a month’s time.
Here are a few tips to follow to prepare for the oncoming spring season and relieve your allergy symptoms.
Take your medicine early: If you have seasonal allergies, start taking your preferred medication a few weeks before your symptoms are likely to set in. This will ease your symptoms so they aren’t as severe.
Limit pollen exposure: Avoid going outside between 10am – 4pm which are peak hours for high pollen count, and be sure to shower and wash your hair before turning in for the night.
Spring clean your home: Pollen travels indoors from open windows, shoes, clothes, and pets. Reduce pollen exposure into your home by leaving shoes at the door, taking off clothes and showering when you come back inside, and keeping pets off bedroom furniture. Regularly sanitize and clean floors with a vacuum cleaner that as a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter.
Consider allergy testing: Find out the cause of your allergy symptoms and educate yourself on ways you can prevent allergic reactions. Consult with a physician and get tested for seasonal allergies. Skin tests and blood tests are common methods doctors use to determine an allergen.