The days might be cold and nippy now, but Spring will be upon us before you know it. For allergy sufferers, that means another season of stuffy noses, runny eyes, and overall discomfort. Fortunately, you can minimize your suffering by planning ahead of allergy season. It’s the best thing you can do before Spring finally arrives.
Visit Your Doctor
Before the pollen and mold get underway this year, talk to your doctor about starting your allergy medications beforehand. In some parts of the country, trees begin pollinating as early as February. Therefore it’s best to do this as soon as possible. Get yourself some non-drowsy antihistamines if possible. Prescription nasal sprays also go a long way in curbing allergy symptoms. Start sprays one to two weeks before the pollen appears.
Spend Limited Time Outdoors
Since early and mid-morning are the worst times to be outside during allergy season, try and schedule your outdoor activities later in the day if possible.
Keep Doors and Windows Shut
The holes in your window and door screens aren’t small enough to keep pollen out. If it gets too stuffy indoors, run your A/C or keep a fan going.
Know Your Allergies
If allergy symptoms plague you even during winter, then you likely have allergies to dust mites, mold spores, or any pets in the home. Using air filters in your home may help to reduce your symptoms. Sometimes your reaction to indoor allergens may get even worse when the outdoor allergens appear (this is called priming).
Change Your Air Filters
Old air filters should be swapped out at least once a year. After all, old dirty filters will do a bad job of filtering allergens from the air. Our 3m Filtrete filters meet MERV standards and are effective for keeping indoor air breathable for allergy sufferers.
Allergies can be a pain to deal with, but following tips like changing your air filters, keeping your doors closed, and working with your doctor should make Spring more bearable. Who knows? You might even enjoy yourself this year!
Thanks for the tips about surviving allergy season this year. I agree that the first thing you should do is figure out what you are allergic to so you can stay away from it. In my opinion, everyone should go to a doctor and figure out what they are allergic to.
We all have allergies in my house. I love all of these tips, but have to admit that I love to open the windows sometimes. I need to remember to change my filters.
My favorite tip is to not wear your shoes in the house so that you don’t track dirt and pollen throughout your home.
That is a great tip Susan! Thanks for sharing it.