Although a lot of people know about allergic reactions and allergens, many people don’t know how frustrating it can be to live with allergies. It helps to avoid triggers that cause allergy symptoms, but it is difficult for those whose allergies are aggravated by airborne allergens. Read on for some time-tested allergy advice.
Shower and shampoo your hair prior to going to bed. During the daytime, your skin and hair may become covered with dust, pollen or spores, which makes you more likely to experience allergic symptoms during the night. A bath or shower will ensure that you have a restful night.
Test your reaction to first time over-the-counter allergy medications in your own home. Most of these contain ingredients that could impair your reflexes and even make you drowsy. Make sure you stay inside when you first take your medications so you know how they affect you.
Avoid anything with a colorant as you might be allergic to it. Even your toilet tissue could have dye in it. Try paper products that are plain white to ensure you are not allergic to the inks.
You might find your allergies easier to deal with if you can eliminate rugs and carpeting from your living space. Carpet is not easy to clean and impossible to clean completely. The fibers of the carpet hold onto dust, pollen, mites, dander, and other allergens. Just get flooring that can be easily mopped or swept.
If your initial attempts at finding a treatment have failed, keep trying. There are many types of allergy medications, and they don’t all work alike. The key is to find the one that will help your specific situation. As an example, you might try an over-the-counter saline nasal spray or wash, eye drops for allergies, or prescribed medications, including leukotriene blockers or nasal steroids.
Dust mites can be hard to avoid. As you might expect from their name, you can find them burrowed deep in your pillows or mattress as they feast on skin cells that have been shed. That’s gross! There are special “dust mite resistant” casings that you can purchase to cover pillows and mattresses to keep them out. Every week, kill mites by washing all bedding with hot water.
If you are traveling with a child who has food allergies, stock up on “safe foods” before you depart – especially when visiting a foreign country. It can be hard to find product labeling of foods that may contain items your child is allergic to.
If you would like to own a pet, even though you suffer from allergies, choose one that has short hair. All animals carry some allergens, but long-haired animals are especially bad about this. To further minimize pet allergies, don’t let them sleep in the same bed as you.
In the event that you have tried every remedy under the sun to no avail, it might be best to consult a physician. There are a wide range of allergy medications out there, and an allergy specialist can match your symptoms with the proper medication. The physician may also suggest something you’ve not tried yet and have other valuable advice for you.
Do you know that your body can actually be the cause of your allergic reaction? It’s true! You are a magnet for dust and pollen, and pick it up constantly when outdoors. You bring this stuff back into the home. You breathe it in. You transfer it to your bedding. A solution is to shower prior to bed and put on clean clothes before retiring for the night!
If your allergy symptoms are always the same, you are better off treating them instead of attempting to prevent allergic reactions. For example if you have dry eyes, carry eye drops. The same advice can be said for those who have an itchy throat.
If you’re suffering from allergies, maybe you should skip the medicine aisle of your local mega-mart and instead go see the doctor. Medical professionals can better diagnose what’s wrong and what types of treatments you should have. If purchasing a new product for the first time, look for the smaller travel sizes so you can test it out or request complimentary office samples from your doctor. If the product doesn’t help you reduce your symptoms, then you can try another without wasting too much money.
If you see signs of insects or vermin in your home, get an exterminator to come in and take care of the problem. Insect and rodent droppings can trigger or worsen an allergy attack. An exterminator can safely get rid of these pests to help you breathe better.
Stay well-hydrated to combat allergy symptoms associated with bronchial sensitivity. Your body needs fluids to function properly, so avoid letting your mucosal membranes from becoming inflamed or dry. In addition, if you aren’t properly hydrated, your bronchial tubes are affected because your mucosal glands produce hard-to-break-up secretions.
Always talk to a doctor if you are currently taking allergy medication, even if it is over-the-counter. A doctor will have the ability to give you sound advice and verify that your medication is appropriate.
Natural remedies are available for individuals suffering from allergies. Many of these natural solutions can combat several common allergies. These remedies present a natural avenue to control the common symptoms of allergies.
Be sure to take allergy medications with you whenever you travel. You may not know what types of pollen and plants you are going to experience that may set your allergies off. If your allergic reactions have ever been severe, discuss carrying an Epi-pen with your physician. Epi-pens contain a potent dose of epinephrine which can stop an allergy attack.
Do not give up after trying allergy remedies on your own. A doctor may very well be able to ease your symptoms. Doctors have access to medicines that are not available over the counter. Your doctor may also be able to recommend lifestyle changes that can reduce or eliminate your allergy symptoms.
If your child suffers with allergies and they are in school, there are medications they can take in case a severe reaction occurs. Doctor’s orders are often required by the school when this is the case. The school should always have extra doses of the medication on hand just in case your child suffers a reaction while in class. It could be beneficial to give your child’s school a detailed list of things that might cause your child to have allergies. Another thing that you can do is to have your kid keep one inside his backpack.
To help control your allergens, make sure that your car is kept clean and closed! Shut all the vents and run the air-conditioner to block out allergens. If you vacuum regularly, this will keep the interior seats and upholstery free from the things that accumulate. Your frequency of allergy attacks can be reduced significantly by taking these steps.
Don’t be shocked if your allergy test reveals you are allergic to different things. Most people are able to come in contact with allergens without have any problem because of it. Except for extreme cases, some allergies could go undetected for a long period of time without experiencing noticeable symptoms.
Make sure you get rid of all insects and rodents in your home by calling an exterminator. Feces from vermin, including cockroaches and rodents, can greatly increase the severity of allergy symptoms. Exterminators have the ability to easily and effectively eradicate pests, helping resolve allergy symptoms.
A great tip to help with allergies is to increase your intake of vitamin C. Vitamin C boosts the immune system and it is also a powerful natural antihistamine. To properly prevent allergies, doctors say everyone should have about 1000mg everyday. Furthermore, foods that are high in Omega-3 are also helpful in treating allergy symptoms.
Something which triggers an allergy attack is at what time you exercise and where you are doing it. As you work out, you breathe more heavily than normal. If you exercise inside rather than outdoors and try to do so during off-peak pollen times, you should minimize the influence of allergies to your routine.
Try dusting weekly to reduce allergy symptoms. Polishing furniture will remove dust which will reduce the amount of allergens in the home.
Ensuring that your bathroom is always fresh and clean will go a long way in avoiding mold-related allergy symptoms. A lot of mold can build in your bathroom becoming a hazard for you. Clean your bathrooms and get rid of all mold. This will keep the mold from growing there as well and also keep your allergies under control.
Think about learning about homeopathic remedies. Homeopathic remedies have been working for people thousands of years before even primitive medicine arrived. Not all remedies will work, but you may find some gold nuggets out there. They often don’t cause the side effects as prescription medications, and many times work more effectively than over-the-counter remedies. Most drugstores and supermarkets stock homeopathic remedies, as do health food stores.
During allergy season, style your hair without using sprays, gels or creams. When outside, your hair can attract allergens like pollen. You want to avoid these kinds of hair products because all they will do is attract a lot of pollen.
If possible, remove all traces of carpeting from your house; this helps to decrease the amount of allergens in your living areas. Carpeting typically collect the dust and hair that can cause allergic reactions. Therefore, you should eliminate the permanent carpeting in your home and replace it with hardwood floors. A carpet can be used on the top if you want. Just make sure you have this carpet cleaned every now and then so that you can prevent allergens from building up on it.
Pollen and pet dander are two allergens that are difficult to find because they seem to always show up in the air! Keep your life in control, and don’t let allergies get you down. Use the information you have just read to reduce or prevent allergy symptoms.
A lot of people in living in big cities become allergic to all of the smog and congestion. If you’re in a city and feeling congested, try taking week-long trip outside of your city to see if city smog is what causes your allergies.