In the United States alone, hay fever and allergies affect around 81 million people. You can beat allergies this spring, whether you believe it or not. No one likes red eyes, runny noses, and feeling like you have a balloon rather than a head. So, here’s some quick advice to beat them.
Take Care of Your Home
Your home is often the cause of allergies, especially if you don’t change things or keep up with a cleaning routine. This is because airborne allergens can travel all over your home, settle, and then become airborne again in an allergy cycle. So, you should dust your home every day, vacuum as much as possible, and even have your air conditioning serviced. Professional services like DUCTZ can remove dust and debris from your AC to give your nose a rest.
Don’t Spend Too Much Time Outside
Of course, stepping outside can also be a nightmare when your allergies flare up. Pollen hay fever is especially concerning in spring. So you should limit your outdoor time if you can. Pollen gets inside your lungs and can be severe if you take in too much. It helps to get outside when pollen is lower, such as in the evening. Also, wearing sunglasses can help keep pollen out of your eyes and also stay inside if the wind is particularly high to avoid a pollen blast to the face.
Beat Allergies this Spring with Herbal Remedies
If you are worried about side effects or you know you will experience them, you can try natural remedies for allergies. OTC medications are effective but may not be the best for you. If this is the case, you can try remedies such as butterbur and ginkgo biloba. These have been found to be effective for allergies by taking them multiple times per day for a few weeks. But the effects can last for up to a year. But of course, see your GP before using unconventional methods.
Stock Up on OTC Medication
When your allergies are bad, the time comes when you need over-the-counter medication such as loratadine and clemastine. These are very effective at reducing the symptoms of seasonal allergies and pollen. You can get these in the form of antihistamine tablets. Or you can try nasal sprays that also work to clear out your sinuses. However, some medications are better or worse depending on your specific case. And some can take a few days to work and cause side effects.
Learn to Spot the Symptoms Early
One of the best ways you can defend against allergies is by learning to spot when a flare-up is coming. Of course, you know when one is coming when spring arrives because there is more pollen in the air. However, they do happen at any time of the year. Some of the first signs of an allergy flare-up include itching eyes, a stuffy nose, and even loss of smell. So, as soon as any of these begin, start taking your preferred remedy immediately to get ahead of the worst issues.
Summary
The pollen season is here, so you need to start thinking of ways to beat allergies this spring. You can remove dust from your home, try OTC or natural remedies and get ahead of symptoms.