The summer is arguably the most beautiful time of the year. The flowers and trees are in full bloom. The sun rises earlier and stays out later. Blue skies and green grass invite a variety of summertime activities.
But those with seasonal allergies might be forced to miss out on the fun. Sneezing, itchy eyes, and difficulty breathing suck all the enjoyment out of many popular summer activities.
Does that mean that those who suffer from seasonal allergies can’t go out of their home throughout the entirety of the summer? Isn’t there some way to fight back against the uncomfortable symptoms?
Yes, in fact there are ways you can work to reduce the amount of symptoms you experience from seasonal allergies. Severe cases can seek the help of an allergist for relief from the dreaded Nashville seasonal allergies. But there are other methods you can try before visiting a professional.
Here’s what you can do to help mitigate your allergy symptoms.
Narrow Down Your Allergies
Pay attention to what triggers an allergic reaction. There are actually a few different possible sources of your symptoms throughout the summer. This includes pollen from blooming trees, various weeds such as ragweed, and several types of grass. However, a person can also be allergic to sunshine, insects, and mold spores.
Figuring out exactly what is causing your symptoms gives you a more direct roadmap of what to avoid and what to treat. This is your best chance at lessening your exposure, and therefore limiting your allergy symptoms.
Visit Otolaryngology Associates of Tennessee, an allergist in Nashville, TN!
Keep Your Home Dust Free
But no matter what is exactly causing your allergy symptoms, there’s a good chance it’s mixed into the dust that settles around your home. This dust is generally a collection of various microscopic elements such as dead skin cells, soil particles, pollen, and refuse from insects.
Dust is a common source of allergy symptoms. Regularly cleaning your home is the best way to fight against this threat. Get yourself on a schedule. Don’t wait until you can see collections of dust around your home. And make sure the air filter that feeds into your vents is frequently changed.
Close Your Windows
The elements that trigger your allergies are most likely coming from outside (unless you’re allergic to your pet). Local weather forecasts often include pollen and ragweed counts. This lets you know when you should most avoid the outdoors, if that’s what is causing your allergy symptoms.
Keep your windows closed throughout the summer as much as possible, especially when the pollen counts are high. You should also try to limit the amount of time you are outdoors on these days. It might be a bummer to miss out on enjoying the outdoors, but you’re not going to enjoy yourself much anyways if you’re suffering from an allergy attack while you’re out there.
Shower Off the Outdoors
But of course you are going to have to leave the house at some point. Be aware that the allergens you are trying to avoid outside can hitch a ride into your house on your clothes. The allergens can stick to your pets as well.
A simple wipe down with a damp towel will remove most of the allergens stuck to your pets. However, allergens can stick in your hair so it's best to take a shower if you’ve been outside for a long period of time. Put your clothes in the wash as well. You don’t want to bring those allergens to the couch or—even worse—the bed.
Allergy Medicine
There are numerous types of over-the-counter allergy medications you can purchase from your local pharmacy. There are a few different options so if one doesn’t work, try another. Everybody’s allergies are a little different so the medications interact differently from one person to the next. They aren’t generally associated with serious side effects so you can take them throughout the summer once you find one that works for you.
Oral medications attempt to prevent or minimize allergy symptoms. Nasal sprays attack the problem areas directly. Speak to a pharmacist if you have questions to get the particular medication that works best for you.
See an Allergist in Nashville, TN
These methods of alleviating allergy symptoms unfortunately don’t work for everybody. The good news is that you can visit Otolaryngology Associates of Tennessee (OAT), an allergist in Nashville. There are a variety of treatments that can be used to learn more about your particular allergies and treat them directly. Allergen-specific immunotherapy, for instance, introduces small amounts of a substance that causes an allergic reaction. Over time, the patient’s body learns to tolerate the substance until the allergic reaction is greatly reduced or eliminated altogether.
