Top 6 Ways To Deal With Allergies This Summer
Hot and sunny weather brings lots of nice and happy things to your life. The whole world feels brighter and more enjoyable, but there’s one tiny nuisance that can stop you or your kids in your tracks.
That’s right, we’re talking about allergies!
If you wake up every morning with a tickly throat or an itchy nose/eyes, you probably have seasonal allergies. It’s called hayfever in some parts of the world, and you’re basically allergic to the pollen in flowers. So, as the flowers start to bloom and pollinate, your allergies kick in and you get all of these nasty symptoms. At best, it’s mildly annoying. At worst, it can ruin your whole summer.
Keeping that in mind, if you or your kids suffer from seasonal allergies, here are some top ways to deal with them and ease the symptoms:
Start by getting a proper diagnosis
Seasonal allergies have really common symptoms. They’re common in the sense that so many other things can also cause them. For instance, the main signs of allergies are:
Itchy eyes
Blocked nose
Runny nose
Itchy throat
Sneezing
Lack of taste
You can already see that these symptoms could link to a whole bunch of other common health concerns. The problem with this is that you may either try to treat allergies that don’t exist or treat a health problem that doesn’t exist. I know someone who thought they had a cold during summer so took cold and flu medicine, only to discover it was allergies!
So, the best idea is to visit somewhere like Asthma & Allergy Associates where you can get officially tested and diagnosed. Not only will this let you know if you have allergies, but it can also tell you exactly what you’re allergic to. Perhaps you’re mainly allergic to a specific type of pollen - or maybe it’s grass.
A proper diagnosis sets you on the right path, particularly when it’s time to treat allergies.
Try various allergy medications
There are plenty of over-the-counter medications you can buy to treat seasonal allergies. The most common are antihistamine tablets, which work to directly suppress the part of your body that triggers an allergic response.
We won’t dive into the science behind this right now, but if you take one of these tablets a day during or before peak allergy season, your body starts building up a defence. It should help you see a massive reduction in symptoms. If the tablets aren’t working, see a doctor or allergy specialist and they can prescribe you some with a higher dosage.
Alongside this, many people see relief from nasal sprays. A steroid nasal spray is typically the best defence against summer allergies. It stops the pollen from affecting your nose and making it itchy or stuffy. Some people also use nasal sprays that unblock their nose - particularly before bed so they can get a good night’s sleep.
Always consult a medical professional and read the instructions before using nasal sprays. They shouldn’t be a long-term solution as they can lead to side effects.
Keep the windows closed in your house
This sounds like a terrible idea during the summer, but it makes a lot of sense. If your windows are constantly open, you allow pollen and other airborne allergens into your home. From here, they can attach to furniture or curtains and stay there. As a result, you suffer allergy symptoms inside as well as outside!
It’s a big problem, so keeping the windows closed will prevent this. Of course, you worry about your home getting hot, stuffy and smelly. So, consider using an HVAC system to circulate air inside your house. These systems take air from outside, cool it down and pump it around your home. It’ll handle the heat and humidity side of things, but it will also filter the air to prevent pollen and allergens from coming in.
Use an air purifier
If you don’t have an HVAC system or can’t afford one, try using an air purifier instead. This will do a similar thing; it takes airborne substances out of the air and traps them. As a result, the air you breathe indoors should be of a much higher quality and with fewer airborne allergens.
A lot of the time, this can mean you’re able to open your windows for an hour or so just to let your house breathe. It’s a good idea to get a small air purifier in most rooms in your house, particularly those with lots of furniture or carpet on the floors.
Protect yourself when outside
You can’t avoid going outdoors during the summer, but you can protect yourself from pollen. The easiest solution is to wear a face mask when you’re outside. People have been doing this for years in other countries, and it’s proven to work really well. Pollen particles are big enough to be trapped by the mask, stopping you from ingesting them.
It’s also a good idea to wear sunglasses as they act as a barrier for your eyes, which could help you avoid itchiness while out and about. The good news is you may only need to wear protection in the early weeks as your medication starts kicking in. If you have a good reaction to the allergy medication, you should see minimal symptoms later on, meaning you don’t need to mask up every time you go out.
Rinse out your nose
Get into the habit of cleaning yourself when you come inside during the summer. Wash your face, change your clothes - and rinse out your nose.
This is all done in the hope of removing pollen and allergens from your clothes and body. A nasal rinse is great as pollen particles can get trapped in there during the day, which is why the symptoms keep lasting. These days, you can find saline nasal sprays or kits that help you flush your nose out with ease.
There you go: the best ways to deal with allergies this summer. If you or your family members suffer from chronic allergies, these tips will help you actually enjoy the summer months once more.
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