Spring is one of the favorite seasons to many, and a nightmare time of the year for many others. Of course, people who have allergies suffer the most as the winter starts to fade away and everything starts to bloom and blossom. Some people have mild symptoms while others have very serious health problems caused by spring allergies.
There are those who are lucky enough to suffer only through one month, whereas there are also persons who struggle with wheezing, sneezing, eye-watering, and other more serious ailments throughout the entire season, from March to June. It is difficult to hide from the allergens when they are everywhere around you. However, there are a few tricks we learned from Howell’s Heating and Air to at least avoid them as much as possible and mitigate their effect a bit.
Minimize the Exposure to Allergens
This sounds like a difficult one, but at least try having all these in mind and avoiding as much as reasonably possible. If your lifestyle and job allow it, try to stay at home on windy and dry days. Remove pollen from your vicinity by changing clothes as soon as you get in, and taking a shower.
Also, do not dry your laundry outside as pollen can stick to the sheets and towels. Avoid garden chores such as mowing or weed pulling. If there is really no one else who can do it, at least wear a pollen mask.
Stay Informed about the Pollen Counts
Rainy days in spring are the blessed days for people with allergies since the rain washes away a lot of pollen from the air. However, on other days, the pollen counts in the air are extremely high and your reactions to it might be much more severe. That is why it is important to follow the news about the daily pollen counts which can be usually found along with the weather forecast.
On high pollen level days, it is good to start taking your anti-allergy medications before you actually get any symptoms. If the next day will likely be full of pollen, close your doors and windows during the night to prevent it from getting inside. Also, avoid early-morning activities if possible as pollen levels are the highest at this part of the day.
Keep the Air in Your House Allergen-Free
Of course, this is an overstatement, no way you can completely get rid of the allergens in your home, but you can at least decrease their levels in the air. Air conditioning is your great ally both in your house and in your car so make sure you use it during the allergy season.
For it to actually be efficient, make sure you clean and replace the AC filters regularly. Keeping your AC repaired and ready for this season is a great start. Also, consider using a HEPA filter in your bedroom, as well as getting a vacuum cleaner with this filter. It can make a huge difference for you. Make sure the air in your house is not too humid by using a dehumidifier.
Rinse the Pollen Out
Try rinsing out your sinuses with saline solution. Pollen gets stuck in your nasal passages and you can get it out by using this solution. It will flush out all the allergens along with the mucus. You can find the equipment for rinsing at your local pharmacy. You will need a squeeze bottle or a bottle with a spout that is specifically designed for this purpose. Make sure you use distilled water that has been boiled and cooled. After rinsing your sinuses, make sure you clean your rinsing equipment with distilled and boiled water and leave it to dry.