Seasonal Allergies: What You Need To do

If you struggle with seasonal allergies, you know how debilitating the symptoms can be. The goal for each person who suffers is to find fast and effective relief. Antihistamines are usually the first treatment doctors recommend. If they don’t work, you might get a prescription for steroid shots, which seems to be more effective. However, prolonged use also comes with many side effects. I encourage people also to reduce their exposure to pollen while taking antihistamines. Doing so might help you have a better outcome and avoid steroids. 

Reduce your exposure to pollen

Even though antihistamine medications might help you, it’s crucial to reduce your exposure to pollen by decreasing the amount of time you spend outdoors during the pollen season. You can still experience some symptoms with higher exposure, even with medications.

Here are a few tips to help you:

• Avoid spending prolonged time outdoors, especially on a windy day

• Change the air filters in your home: there are many things to keep up with around your home, and changing the air filters is probably one of the easiest to forget. Keep in mind that a quality air filter can reduce the number of airborne particles, including pollen, thus reducing your symptoms.  

• Consider nasal irrigation: Nasal irrigation may help relieve the symptoms of seasonal allergies by flushing out the pollen, thus reducing the load on your system. Standard devices used include bulb syringes, squeeze bottles, or neti pots. Check out the article below to learn how to use these devices properly.

• Consider wearing a mask and sunglasses: If you absolutely have to spend some time outdoors when pollen levels are high, consider wearing an N95 mask and sunglasses. These can also help when you have to work on your garden.  
• Change your clothes and wash your face: Pollen can be sticky, especially oak tree pollen. Therefore, changing your clothes and at least washing off your face after being outside for a significant amount of time is necessary.

Consult with your doctor

If you find that these steps are not enough to get you past the debilitating symptoms of seasonal allergies, consult with a doctor. He will probably prescribe steroid shots or other forms. These medications reduce inflammation and weaken the immune system’s overreaction to the allergen, thus decreasing or sometimes eliminating the symptoms. However, considering prolonged use of steroid medications can have many side effects, I will only think of them if other measures are not working.

I hope these practical steps along with antihistamines help you enjoy a healthier spring.

Check out natural antihistamines

Did you know besides pharmaceutical antihistamines you can also use natural antihistamines and have a similar result? Check out this article to discover natural antihistamines, including the one I use.