By summertime, anyone with allergies will be feeling the brunt of their condition – noses streaming, eyes watering, and a constant supply of coughs and sneezes. It doesn’t necessarily need to be this way though – there are some things you can do to limit the effect allergens have on your body, so that you can get through allergy season relatively unscathed. If your symptoms appear around February, chances are it is trees and grass pollens which aggravate your body. If this is the case, try to stay indoors where possible or avoid parks and tree-laden areas which will make your symptoms worse. You may want to keep a check on the pollen counts on your local news so as to avoid heading outdoors if they are particularly high. It may not be chic, but if you do need to do the gardening or need to head into a park when the pollen is high, a mask which covers your nose and mouth will help you to avoid the pollen entering your respiratory system.
When allergy season hits, be sure to wash your hair regularly – pollens get trapped in your hair which can then continue to irritate even once you’re indoors. Washing your hair and having a shower or a bath will get rid of this and help you avoid watery eyes and sneezing sessions of an evening. Studies also suggest that people who are stressed will react more strongly to pollen and allergens, so be sure to stay calm. Try getting plenty of sleep and taking a relaxing bath to rid your daily stresses from your mind and help your body to react more appropriately to allergens. It may seem like a simple thing to do, but keep your nose clean! Pollen will stick to your nose, making your symptoms worse, so try to use a nasal spray where possible to protect this delicate area or use a saline solution from the pharmacist to clean your nose and remove the pollens. Antihistamines are a great way to reduce the effect pollen has on your body, as these will protect your immune system from having an overt reaction to the allergens in the first place.
Keep your home clean as well, as pollen and dust can gather in your home and make your symptoms worse. This means using a damp cloth to clean window sills and doors, so that dust can cling to it rather than just being dispersed into the air, as well as vacuuming regularly to pick up any dust which may get kicked up into the air. However, if your allergies are particularly bad, outsource your housework to another member of the family until your symptoms calm down a little. Be watchful of mold spores in the home, which can develop in bathrooms or kitchens where moisture levels are high. This can make your symptoms worse, and should be cleared as soon as possible. When it comes to cleaning your bedding and cushions, try to wash them on the highest setting they will allow so as to kill any dust mites. If you still can’t seem shift your symptoms, try acupuncture – it’s been shown that this age-old art could have a massive effect on conditions such as allergies. It works by fine needles being inserted into pressure points in the body to decrease stress hormones and reduce inflammation. Many people have found that it works wonders on their allergies, so this could be the answer to your coughing fits in the spring and summer seasons where pollen counts are higher.
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