Tips For Dealing With Pollen Allergies

Pollen allergies can make you miserable several months of the year since different trees, grass, and weeds release pollen in different seasons. While it isn't possible to avoid pollen completely, there are some things you can do to reduce your contact and control your symptoms. Here are some suggestions to try.

Get Allergy Tested

Knowing what you are allergic to will help you control your exposure. For instance, if you get allergy tested and find out you are allergic to ragweed pollen, then you'll be ready when autumn rolls around and ragweed pollen is at its highest. If you have symptoms all year, you probably have multiple allergies. Rather than guess what triggers your symptoms, you can undergo allergy testing and find out specifically what you need to avoid as best as you can.

Monitor Pollen Counts

If you know the pollen levels in your area, you'll know how to adjust your medication to prevent symptoms, and if your allergies are severe, you'll know when it is best to stay indoors under climate control. You can find daily pollen counts for ragweed, grasses, and trees on a number of websites, such as weather forecast sites. Your local news or radio station may also broadcast the pollen count along with the weather or other news. Talk to your allergist about tailoring your medication to the pollen levels. On days when the count is high, you may want to take an over-the-counter medication before you go outdoors in order to keep symptoms at bay.

Keep Pollen Out Of Your House

The best way to keep pollen outside is to keep your windows closed. It may be difficult to do when the air is nice and cool outdoors, but when the windows are open, pollen wafts in with the cool breeze. In addition, be careful about tracking pollen indoors. When you come in from cutting the grass or walking outdoors, you may want to change your clothes and shower right away to get pollen out of your hair and off your skin. Remember, pollen gets on your pets too. If you have a dog or cat that goes in and out through a pet door all day, your pet may carry pollen back indoors. You don't want to wash your pet every day, so the best solution may be to confine your dog or cat to a limited area of your house during allergy season. It's an especially good idea to keep pets out of your bedroom. Of all the rooms in your home, you want to keep your bedroom as allergy free as possible since you spend so much time in there.

Even if you take great care to avoid pollen, you'll still come in contact with it at some point during allergy season. Your allergist can help you select the best allergy medication to keep your symptoms under control when pollen counts are high. You may only need to take over-the-counter medications occasionally, but if your allergies are severe, you may need to take prescription medication or allergy shots from your doctor.

For more information, contact local professionals like Hinsdale Asthma & Allergy Center.

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