If you suffer from allergy symptoms, then you realize how bad they can get. Many people have allergies which can be frustrating and painful. You have many choices available to help deal with your allergies, and the key is to find the one that works for you. Check out the following tips, all of which detail methods you can use to effective reduce the severity of allergy symptoms.
When it’s nice outside, you might want to open your windows to save on your cooling costs. However, this could lead to allergy flare-ups. Your best bet is to use a HEPA filter in your air conditioner to diminish indoor allergens. If you have allergies, this will help you to breathe easier.
When the weather is nice, you may be tempted to open the windows in your home to save money on cooling costs. This process does carry the risk of increased allergy attacks, though. Make sure you use HEPA filters in your air conditioner because they help get rid of indoor allergens. Although air conditioned air may not create as nice of a breeze, you will breathe easier.
People are susceptible to specific allergens during different times of their lives. For instance, young babies experience exposure to proteins initially through food, and therefore suffer from food allergies more frequently than others. As they grow older, they gain exposure to other protein allergens, perhaps even developing pollen allergies. Do not discount the possibility of an allergic reaction in your child simply because there has never been a reaction to non-food allergens in the past.
Even though skin tests can tell you what you are allergic to, they don’t tell you how extreme your allergies are. For instance, you a test may reveal that you’re allergic to a specific spore. However, that spore may only result in a mild reaction or you might not have a reaction at all.
It is possible to get many types of allergy and antihistamine medications on an over the counter basis, though such products are not effective for everyone. Ask the doctor if you can have a sample pack; otherwise, buy the smallest package you can. If this product doesn’t help your allergies, then you can easily get another without having to spend a great deal of money.
If you plan to exercise outdoors during times of high pollen, do so in the late evening or early morning. It has been shown through numerous studies that pollen levels rise during mid day, but are lowest during the morning and early evening.
Avoid anything with a colorant as you might be allergic to it. Colorants, or dyes, are found in a wide range of products, even in the paper towels and toilet paper you use. Try using products that are plain white paper in your house and it might aid in reducing your allergy symptoms.
If you are battling bronchial allergy symptoms, proper hydration is especially important. If you don’t have a sufficient amount of fluids in your body, your mucus membranes can get dry. When the bronchial mucosa lack hydration, the mucus that is produced is very thick and difficult to expel.
If you live in the western part of the United States, you may have noticed that many landscapers are using olive trees as landscaping decoration. However, these tress produce a lot of pollen. Never plant this particular tree if you have allergies, and it also helps if you can spot this tree to avoid it. Many people find that training a water hose on the tree a few minutes of each day is enough to significantly reduce pollen problems.
If you are having allergy symptoms and you have pets, you may not know if the pets are causing your symptoms. You can have a pet dander test performed by an allergen doctor. If you pet is the cause, it is unlikely that you will have to go as far as getting rid of the pet. That said, you will likely have to change a few things.
Don’t stop at a couple of allergy treatments just because they haven’t worked for you. Relief may be a box or tablet away. There are many allergy medications out there, and different ones work better with different issues. Over-the-counter products are available as eye drops or nasal sprays; prescription treatment options include leukotriene blockers and powerful steroid nasal sprays.
Remain cognizant of the amount of stress in your life. You may not know that stress can affect how your body reacts to allergens. For individuals who suffer from asthma already, stress can definitely worsen the effects of allergies. Any significant increase in stress levels carries an equally increased risk for experiencing an asthma attack. Although, it won’t cure allergies, it will help the amount of allergic reactions experienced.
If you have pets and are an allergy sufferer, it may be difficult to isolate your pets as the cause of the problem. A doctor can give you an allergy test to find out if this is true or not. If you pet is the cause, it is unlikely that you will have to go as far as getting rid of the pet. That said, you will likely have to change a few things.
Where and when you exercise can make you more vulnerable to allergic reactions. When you exercise, you breathe harder. 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.
Something which triggers an allergy attack is at what time you exercise and where you are doing it. As you exercise more, you tend to breathe harder. If you exercise indoors during times when pollen count is at its lowest, you will reduce the amount of allergens entering your body.
Make sure your bathroom is always clean. Because bathrooms are the number one place to develop mold, they need cleaning at least one time every week. Wipe your walls down with bleach and water to rid them of mold. This will keep the mold from growing there as well and also keep your allergies under control.
Carefully choose non allergenic antiperspirants. They can have things in them that will hurt your skin, particularly if they get into your pores. These ingredients can be bad for you and bad for your skin.
If you take allergy medicine, make sure you are using it as directed. Many allergy medications require many days of consecutive use before you start seeing relief. If you simply take a pill the first time you sneeze, the treatment will not be effective. Speak with a doctor about proper dosages.
Make sure your bathroom is clean. Mold loves to grow in bathrooms, so be sure to clean it weekly. Clean shower stalls using a mixture of equal parts bleach and water to remove mold. This can prevent mold from accumulating and worsening your allergies.
A great tip to use to fight against allergens is to make sure that your trash is kept outside. Rodents, insects and other vermin are attracted to garbage. Mice feces inside the home can worsen allergy symptoms. If you still have rodent problems after doing this, you may want to consider using a trap to get rid of them in your home. If that doesn’t work, consider poison.
Avoid the use of hair creams, sprays and gels during the allergy season. Enjoying the outdoors almost always means returning to your home with a mix of airborne allergens attached to your hair. While wonderful for creating a lovely ‘do, these products may also increase the amount of pollen and allergens that become trapped in your hair.
If you enjoy smelling clean laundry, use fabric softener or detergent with a light fragrance. Drying in the breeze may give your clothes that fresh, outdoor scent. Drying clothes on a clothes line can increase pollen and mold spores on clothing. This is ideal only for those who are not sensitive to dyes or fragrances.
Keep rugs and carpets to a minimum when you are decorating your residence. Unfortunately pollen and dust tend to collect on them. If you have area rugs, make sure you buy washable ones so that you can regularly wash to remove allergens.
Constant vacuuming is a great way to get rid of allergens for people more susceptible to them. Vacuuming will reduce the number of allergens that float around the house. Additionally, inspect and clean your vacuum if necessary. Many old vacuums let allergens back in the air. Vacuums that are newer contain HEPA filters that trap virtually all the small allergens to prevent them from spreading through the air.
Move your garbage outside of your house. Garbage can attract all sorts of pests. Certain droppings, especially those from mice, can exacerbate allergy symptoms. If rodents are still a problem, use a trap. Use poison if traps don’t work.
Weekly dusting can have a positive effect on the symptoms of your allergies. A lot of people ignore dusting around the house but it doesn’t take that much time to do and is healthy for you and your family.
Learn what items contain latex so that you can eliminate them from your home if you have a latex allergy. Many things are made with latex, including condoms, bandages and even clothing. However, there are many items you can use as replacements, so do your research. In addition, make it a point to scan labels for warnings regarding latex.
Stay away from smoking or any smokey environment as smoke can bring about allergic reactions. If you smoke, you need to attempt to quit. In addition, you should stay away from fireplaces and stoves that burn wood due to the fact that smoke can irritate your allergies.
Don’t open your windows when pollen is prevalent in the air. Though fresh air is always nice, it is important to keep your windows closed during times of high pollen counts. Usually this is between 10 am and 3 pm. Air your home out before or after these hours.
Wash your hair daily if you suffer from seasonal allergies. Pet dander, pollen, dust and spores may alight on your hair follicles. Allergens trapped in the hair can be especially troublesome because they are near the nasal passages. Therefore, it is essential that hair be washed daily, preferably before bedtime.
Consider using fabric softener to mimic the scent of clean, sun-dried laundry. You may get a great scent on your clothing when you hang it out to dry. It may also increase your risk of inhaling spores or pollen. Only line dry clothes when pollen counts are low or you are sensitive to fragrances or dyes.
Now you know you don’t have to be scared to live with allergies forever. You have a wide range of choices available to you to help lessen allergy symptoms. Give the above tips a try, and you might just begin to enjoy some allergy-free days.
Don’t forget to take allergies into consideration when planning a vacation out of town. This can be a great risk if you have an allergy sufferer in your family. Do your research to avoid vacationing in a place that poses high allergy attack risks.