Allergy Season Doesn’t Have to be Something to Sneeze At

April showers may bring May flowers, but for allergy sufferers, the seasonal blooms of pollen take most of the fun out of the bright, colorful, new growth of Spring.

Millions of Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies get to welcome the season with sneezing, congestion, a runny nose and other symptoms. Thankfully, there are a number of effective ways for allergy sufferers to limit their discomfort. Below is a list of tips for allergy season.

Limit your exposure to allergens:

• Avoid outdoor work that can stir up allergens, such as mowing, weeding and gardening.
• On dry, windy days, stay indoors ‒ go outside after rain, which helps clear pollen from the air.
• If you’ve been outside, remove the clothes you wore and shower to rinse pollen off of your body.
• Don't hang laundry outside as pollen can stick to sheets and towels.
• Check your local media outlets or online for pollen forecasts and current levels. If they are high:
  • Take allergy medications before symptoms start;
  • Close doors and windows; and
  • Avoid outdoor activity, especially early in the morning.
• Keep your indoor air clean:
• Use air conditioning in your house and car.
• Use high-efficiency filters for the forced air heating or air conditioning in your house and follow regular maintenance schedules.
• Clean your floors often with a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter.
• Keep your indoor air dry with a dehumidifier.
• Try over-the-counter remedies:
• Oral antihistamines (e.g., Allegra Allergy, Claritan, Zyrtec Allergy) can help relieve sneezing, itching, a stuffy or runny nose, and watery eyes.
• Oral decongestants (Sudafed) can provide temporary relief from nasal stuffiness.
• Corticosteroid nasal sprays (e.g., Flonase/Nasacort/Rhinocort Allergy) can improve nasal symptoms.
• Rinsing your sinus using a saline solution can relieve nasal congestion by directly flushing out mucus and allergens from your nose.
• Check with your primary care physician to see which of these makes the most sense for you.

Finally, if the steps above are not providing the relief you need, you may consider making Ear, Nose and Throat specialists. They can run quick tests to identify what allergens trigger your symptoms and based on this data, offer the treatments likely to work best for you. If you need help finding a specialist, we can help! Click hear to search our online provider directory.

Allergies don’t have to control your ability to enjoy life this Spring or any time of the year. Find relief at Southwestern Medical Center ‒ that’s why we’re here.