Are you a part of the vast majority of adults in the United States affected by seasonal allergies? With over 54% of adults suffering from allergies annually, make your health a priority this year. As warmer weather brings various allergens to the air around us, preparing for allergy season can benefit your health year round.
At Otolaryngology Associates of Tennessee, we help our patients manage their sinus issues. If you’re unsure of where to begin when it comes to preparing for allergy season, we have you covered. We’ve compiled a list of ways to best prepare yourself for the warmer weather and will help you understand seasonal allergies better.
Here’s what you need to know about preparing for allergy season:
What are Seasonal Allergies?
Treatment Options
Spring Cleaning
Track Pollen Levels
Keep Your Windows Closed
Change Your Air Filters
What are Seasonal Allergies?
Seasonal allergies, like other allergies, occur when a person’s immune system overreacts to a stimulant in their environment. Typically, seasonal allergies are related to various types of local pollen from trees or plants. Determining what causes your symptoms can be a great first step towards allergy relief. While seasonal allergies can often be difficult to navigate, there are a few things you can do to help alleviate these symptoms.
Common symptoms include:
Sinus Congestion
Runny Nose
Post-Nasal Drip
Sneezing
Coughing
Itchy or Watery Eyes
Treatment Options
When preparing for allergy season, one of the first things you can do is find the best treatment options for you. If you don’t currently take medication for your allergens, or you don’t know what causes your symptoms, connect with a local allergy specialist to find the best course of action.
It is often recommended to begin taking allergy medication around two weeks before you would typically start to feel your symptoms. Over-the-counter medications can often reduce your allergic reactions before and after your symptoms arrive. Pretreating symptoms with medication before they begin can help prevent inflammation and ease your stuffy nose, itchy eyes or other allergy symptoms.
Pro Tip: If you are looking to treat more than your symptoms, immunotherapy can desensitize you to the allergens that are bothersome to you.
Contact the allergists at Otolaryngology Associates of Tennessee and enjoy your time outdoors!
Spring Cleaning
As warmer allergy season weather arrives, people tend to engage in spring cleaning. Whether you plan to sweep out the winter cobwebs, dust your light fixtures and bookcases, sweep the floors or even vacuum furniture, spring cleaning can help remove any dust and pollen that has already made its way into your home.
If you’re someone who enjoys gardening, but can’t seem to fathom spending a few hours outside for fear of an allergic reaction, try wearing more protective clothing and facial coverings as you garden. Be sure to properly clean your clothes and shower off any excess pollen and debris after you return inside as allergens can stick to your clothes and skin.
Track Pollen Levels
Depending on your specific geographic location, seasonal allergies can vary. Whether you’re affected most by tree or grass pollen levels, you should be able to track local levels of all pollen in your area. In doing so, you can plan your days accordingly during the warmer months. Try spending less time outside during days where pollen count is higher than usual! Your allergy symptoms will likely be less frequent as you consistently track your areas pollen count.
Keep Your Windows Closed
While opening your windows to let in the warm spring air can be tempting, as someone who suffers from seasonal allergies, you may want to avoid doing so this season. Opening your windows during allergy season can often lead to pollen and local allergens blowing into your home. Be sure to keep your windows closed on days with a higher pollen count to avoid irritating your symptoms.
The same can be said for your car windows! Try to keep your car windows closed as much as possible to avoid letting pollen into your vehicle.
Change Your Air Filters
As you begin to prepare for allergy season and tackle your annual spring cleaning, it’s likely that you’ll need to change the air filters in your home. While it is suggested to change your air filters every three months or seasonally, as someone who suffers from seasonal allergies, you may want to consider a more frequent change. Changing your filters more frequently can remove excess debris and pollen from the air trapped inside your home.
See an Allergist in Nashville, TN
Unfortunately, these methods to prepare for allergy season don’t work like a charm for everyone. 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. Contact OAT today!
