Spring is here and as things start to warm up and dry out, spring allergy season will be upon us once again. Allergies bring sniffling, itchy watery eyes, runny nose, clogged sinuses and more. But you can take steps to prepare for spring allergy season!
What are symptoms of spring allergies?
- Sinus congestion
- Runny nose
- Post-nasal drip
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Itchy watery eyes
With the right preparation, you can make sure you are ready for allergy season this spring.
1. What are your allergy triggers?
Seasonal allergies happen when your immune system overreacts to the presence of allergens in your environment. This includes pollen. Tree pollen season happens in early spring and grass pollen is higher in the summer and ragweed happens in the fall.
By knowing what you are allergic to, you can figure out when to expect your allergies to start and take steps to manage the symptoms. If you don’t know what you are allergic to, consider scheduling a consultation for allergy testing.
2. Start taking antihistamines or nasal steroid sprays
If you know your allergies trigger in the spring, start taking antihistamines and sprays in advance before your allergy symptoms start. But check the dates to make sure your medication isn’t past its expiration date.
Pretreating your symptoms can help prevent inflammation and prevent the other symptoms from being as severe.
It can help with a stuffy nose, itchy eyes, and scratchy throat. Pretreating allergy symptoms is safe and can make this allergy season easier to deal with.
If you want to treat more than your symptoms, immunotherapy or allergy shots can desensitize you to the allergens that bother you.
3. Track the pollen reports and the weather forecasts
Keep track of local pollen counts so you will know when allergy season kicks off. Here is a pollen counter if you are interested.
You can watch which days will have higher pollen levels so you can try to avoid exposure and spend more time indoors. Avoid being outdoors in the morning when allergy counts are highest.
Also, check the weather forecast. Windy, dry days have higher pollen counts, where rain tends to clear it from the air.
4. Reduce exposure to pollen
Keep windows and doors shut on days with high pollen counts and don’t hang laundry out to dry outside.
Make sure your house air filters are changed regularly to filter and trap allergens from the air. Wearing a hat and sunglasses can reduce the amount of pollen that blows into your eyes.
5. Spring Clean your house early
There may still be snow on the ground here in Colorado, but for allergy sufferers, this can be the perfect time to start spring cleaning. Start by giving every room a good deep clean. Pay special attention to areas that might have mold spores. Basements, bathrooms, and kitchens that have areas that may not dry completely can grow mold.
- Deep Cleaning includes:
- Dusting
- Washing curtains
- Vacuuming furniture and carpets
- Sweeping floors
It’s not fun, but you can make it fun. Open your curtains and let the sun in. Put on some fun music and dance while you clean.
Methodically go through every room to make sure you got every bit of dust and pollen. If you start to get too stuffy from the dust take a break.
6. Allergy Proof the Bedroom
Dust is going to irritate you and make allergy symptoms worse. So, encase all your bedding in dust-mite proof covers including pillows, mattresses, and box springs.
Wash pillowcases, sheets, and blankets once a week. When washing them, wash in hot water at least 130 degrees. Don’t use feather and wool bedding and look for synthetic materials.
Avoid using rugs and if you have carpet, shampoo it frequently and vacuum weekly with a vacuum that has a HEPA filter.
Avoid opening windows and if it’s too warm use the air conditioning.
Keep pets out of the bedroom and especially off of the bed.
7. See your doctor if medications don’t help with allergy symptoms
Millions of people suffer from allergies every year. If you have tried over-the-counter medications and they aren’t helping, see your doctor.
Your primary care physician can get you a referral to a board-certified allergist like the experts at Colorado ENT and Allergy.
We offer comprehensive care to children and adults suffering from all forms of allergies, asthma, or other breathing issues.
Be prepared before spring allergy season starts. And if you need extra help, schedule a consultation with Colorado ENT and Allergy.
Do you know your allergy Triggers?
Read more about common Summer ENT and allergy problems.