Practical ways to deal with pollen allergies
Spring should be a time to celebrate after being cooped up inside during the long, cold winter months.
Yet, being outdoors and enjoying nature could make you miserable if you suffer from pollen allergies. Tree pollen, grass pollen and weed pollen counts are particularly high during spring and summer.
READ ALSO: Prepare your nose for spring
Our sister paper Kormorant shares some tips to deal with pollen allergies:
- Avoid pollen as much as you can, which means not going outside early in the morning when pollen counts are usually the highest. If you have to go out, wear a hat and sunglasses to keep pollen out of your hair and eyes. Avoid bringing pollen inside by washing your clothes, body, and hair as soon as you come inside.
- Wipe down tables outside and inside. Vacuum your carpets regularly, at least once a week. Also wash the car, and clean the car door handles, and outside doorknobs. Pollen stick to just about everything and you could transfer pollen from your hands to your eyes. This could lead to a severe allergic reaction for some people.
- Decontaminating at the end of the day is important. Take a shower and put on clean clothes. Put used clothes in the laundry room – do not bring contaminated clothes into your bedroom.
- Allergy-proof your home and vehicle. Keep your windows closed and rather use the airconditioner. It will filter out pollen and help you breathe better.
- Drink an oral antihistamine. If you feel that your symptoms are primarily around your nasal passages, add a steroid nasal spray. It may take at least five days to kick in, but eventually it will help decrease inflammation in your nasal passages and reduce symptoms in your nose, sinuses and throat. If you have symptoms in your eyes, try an over-the-counter antihistamine eye drop to help combat watery eyes and redness.
- Saline nasal sprays and saline eye drops can help get pollen out of your nasal passages and eyes. Use it at least every two hours.
READ ALSO:WATCH: Treat your allergies naturally
No one allergy solution will work for everyone. You may have to try more than one combination of solutions before finding your perfect combo. It is advisable to see your doctor should you have any conditions that may be exacerbated by your pollen allergy.
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