Allergy tips for allergy season
Tissues are my best friend right now. We have LOTS of boxes of tissues and travel sized tissue packs around the house, in the car, in the teenager's back packs and in my purse.
Spring is here! And with it comes hay fever. Some people may say "what's the big deal?" The problem is that having allergies is like having a cold-FOR MONTHS AT A TIME!
A cold is here and gone in a week. With allergies, it can be MONTHS later and we are STILL sneezing, having runny noses, itchy throats and rubbing our eyes until they are red.
Day after day, after day, after day.
There are things that can help. There are a lot of options when dealing with allergies, the Mayo Clinic has a whole list on their website. You can use nasal sprays, pills, liquids, eye drops, inhalers, skin cream and allergy shots.
Our family has tried them all. Hubby and I and all three teenagers have allergies. Year round. And we have all used different things to treat our allergies. Your doctor can actually do a skin test on your back to see what you are allergic to. That will help him decide how to treat you. Sometimes you can take over the counter medications. Other times, you need more than that.
If you are to the point where you are miserable with your allergies, talk to your doctor. You can try new medications and treatment options. Even with all the medications, there are a few simple things we do to help with allergies.
- Take your shoes off when you enter your house (shoes drag in all sorts of mold, pesticides, etc)
- Shower before bed at night-that removes the pollen from your hair and skin
- Sleep with the windows closed (you don't want pollen drifting in on you all night)
- Wash your bedding EVERY week
- Use allergy proof pillows, pillow cases and mattress pads (most retail stores carry them)
- Use air conditioning instead of swamp coolers (swamp coolers let pollen in and raise the humidity level in the house)
- Vacuum twice a week (yes, even under the beds)
- Change the furnace and air conditioning filters every 3 months
Try a few ideas and see what works best for you. And talk to your asthma and allergy doctor, they can work wonders and make life a little less miserable!
We just found out my baby has asthma after taking her to an asthma specialist in Richmond. We learned how to do breathing treatments and what to do if an attack hits. It's a whole new world for me but I'm glad I can come here and read your stories and relate a little bit.
ReplyDeleteStacey, so sorry your baby has been diagnosed with asthma. Keep reading and learning so you know how to manage her asthma. It can be hard at first, but it does get better!
DeleteIt’s not easy to deal with allergies because it can be triggered anytime. The best defense you could possibly have is to block away those triggers. That’s why I’m glad that you posted what we can do to prevent allergies at home. It really pays to invest on our health. However, it is still best to consult a doctor if you’re experiencing any health problems especially allergies.
ReplyDelete-Leora Yang
Leora, thanks for stopping by! I hope these tips help to prevent allergies. And we also visit our allergy doctor every week for allergy shots. We also have checkups once a year to see if he needs to adjust any medicine.
DeleteGood luck dealing with your allergies!