If the winter holidays are “the most wonderful time of the year,” then the spring allergy season must be “the most uncomfortable time of the year.” If you suffer from seasonal allergies, here are some things you can do to prepare.
Keep the Essentials On-hand
Before allergy season arrives, it’s a good idea to do a little shopping in preparation. You want to have all the essentials (at least) for dealing with your allergies on-hand before you need them. It’s no fun to be suffering from an allergy attack, only to find you need to travel to the drugstore before you can get any relief. Purchase antihistamines, nasal decongestants, tissues, eye drops, and any other products that you typically use to deal with your allergy symptoms.
Do a Full Cleaning of Your Home
The allergy season brings plenty of things like pollens and mold spores that travel in the air very easily. They’re going to get into your home some way or another, at least a little bit, so consider doing a full cleaning of your home before allergy season. When you do this, you’ll get rid of dust and other allergens that are already present, and you’ll make it easier for yourself to keep your home clean and allergen-free throughout the season. You should also get regular maintenance on your air conditioning to make sure it’s clean and working its best for allergy season.
Get an Air Purifier
Using an air purifier or dehumidifier in your home can help reduce your allergy symptoms, so consider getting one before allergy season begins. If you get an air purifier, it’s best to get one with a HEPA filter. A HEPA filter is the only type that can catch particles as small as pollen, so it’s the best choice for allergy and asthma sufferers. If you can’t put them in every room of the house, put them in your bedroom, and run them especially while you sleep at night. If you spend a lot of time in another room, such as a home office, use one in there, too.
Go to the Doctor for a Checkup
If you haven’t gotten your yearly physical exam yet, now is a great time to do so. Even though you’re not sick or suffering from allergy symptoms, your doctor can examine you and perform tests that could catch other problems that would be exacerbated by allergy symptoms. Your doctor can also recommend what they think are the best ways to cope with allergy season. They may suggest you take a daily antihistamine to help keep allergy symptoms at bay. If you have any particular concerns about your allergies, be sure to ask your doctor now; don’t wait.
Educate Your Family
Finally, talk to your family members before allergy season about ways that everyone can reduce the allergens in the home and avoid allergy symptoms. For example, ask your children to change their clothes after they come in from outside, and remind your spouse to keep windows closed.
Image source by www.ucdenver.edu
Written by Jeffrey Holte. Jeffrey Holte is a medical health professional and expert on allergy season who often gives tips to others on how to avoid suffering bad reactions to pollen and other allergens.
