The first day of spring is March 20th, and with it comes nicer weather, park days and, unfortunately, allergy symptoms. If you’re among the 20% of United States people with seasonal allergies, or hay fever, take a look at our list of habits to help keep sneezes and other symptoms at bay this spring.
Be Careful With Yard Work
Spring is the perfect time to get some yard work done. However, for people with pollen allergies, mowing the lawn, pulling weeds and planting flowers or vegetables can stir up symptoms. If your pollen allergies are severe, ask a family member to help or consider hiring a local Charleston gardening service. If you prefer to garden yourself, consider wearing a face mask and safety glasses or goggles.
Change Clothes
Pollen can cling to your clothes, especially when you’re outdoors in parks or other green spaces. To prevent it from spreading in your home, change into fresh clothes as soon as you get back. If you have severe pollen allergies, shower after being outside to wash pollen off your hair, face and eyes.
Close the Windows
Pollen can fly in through open windows on windy days. Keeping your windows closed during the spring can help keep these airborne allergens out of your home. Consider purchasing allergy filter window screens if you prefer to let the spring breeze in your home.
Check Pollen Levels
The Weather Channel tracks pollen levels and creates a 15-day allergy forecast that can help you decide when to take allergy medication, close windows or move outdoor events indoors.
Seek Allergy Treatment
An allergist can perform allergy testing and help you find the best treatment path forward. A few common treatments include:
- Medication. Medications like antihistamines, nasal corticosteroids, eye drops, mast cell inhibitors and decongestants can temporarily relieve allergy symptoms. People with mild allergies may find sufficient relief from daily medication.
- Immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is a long-term allergy treatment that desensitizes your body to the allergens it’s sensitive to. Most people see slight relief in the first six to eight months and more significant symptom reduction around 12 months. You will need to continue immunotherapy for three to five years to maintain your results.
- Avoidance. Allergen avoidance is the practice of minimizing contact with your allergens. Any of the above habits are great examples of allergen avoidance.
For more tips on managing your spring allergies, contact Charleston ENT & Allergy today.