A Guide to Allergies

If you have allergies, spring and summer are the seasons that can impact your symptoms the most. These two seasons bring pollen, pet dander, mold spores and other potential irritants that can cause symptoms affecting the ears, nose and throat. Of course, we love to spend time outdoors during spring and summer.

But for those who experience allergies, these combine to make up peak allergy season. The high humidity and frequent rainfalls create the perfect conditions for allergens to thrive. This will cause your body to produce mucus with high levels of histamines, which will cause your immune system to make more mucus as they enter the body, thereby causing your symptoms.

Therefore, reducing the number of allergens in your environment will reduce your discomfort this season. Here are five ways that you can reduce the symptoms triggered by allergic reactions this season, from staying hygienic to talking to an ENT doctor:

Clean Up Your Living Space

Allergens are often found in your home, so cleaning your living space is essential. Some of the most common allergens in homes include dust mites, mold spores, cockroaches and pets. It’s critical to try to reduce the number of allergens in your home by implementing certain cleaning practices.

For example, placing air purifiers in your living space can help lower the level of dust and other allergens found within your home. You can also use different cleaning products to reduce the amount of mold and other spores in your home. You can also consider hiring a cleaning service to clean your home and change your bedding more frequently during allergy season.

Practice Good Hygiene

When it comes to practicing good hygiene, it’s essential to do so to reduce the risk of infection and illness. This will also help lower the number of allergens in your environment. Some of the best practices you can do to reduce the change of provoking allergy symptoms in your environment include washing your hands frequently; frequent hand washing is the best way to reduce the number of germs in your environment. You should also turn off the fan when you clean; studies suggest that the particles created by cleaning with a fan on are greater than when cleaning with a fan turned off.

Try Natural Remedies

Many natural remedies can help reduce your allergy symptoms. One of these natural remedies includes healthy eating. This is because eating healthier means eating less processed foods and consuming more fruit and vegetables. These foods are high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can help reduce allergic reactions.

Drinking lots of water is also vital as drinking water can help keep your body hydrated, maintain regular bowel movements and reduce allergy symptoms. You can also try meditation; meditation has been shown to help regulate your immune system and help reduce your allergy symptoms. Finally, taking part in yoga can help your body relax and reduce your allergy symptoms.

Steam Vapor Shower

Steam vapor showers can help open up your nasal passages and reduce your symptoms. However, they’re not guaranteed to work for everyone, so you may have to try a few before finding the one that works best for you. You should definitely try it if you have access to it. If you don’t, though, there are other things you can do that may help. For example, you can take a hot shower or sit in a hot bath for about 20 minutes. This will help increase the amount of moisture in your nasal passages, making breathing a little easier.

Talk to an ENT Doctor

If your allergies are severe, you may want to consider seeing an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor. Some medications that can help reduce your symptoms include antihistamines and decongestants.

These can help with the symptoms of your allergies by reducing the number of histamines in your system. Depending on the severity of your allergies, an ENT doctor may suggest allergy shots. Allergy shots are an alternative to taking daily medications and can help reduce your allergies over time. Allergy shots contain small amounts of the substance that you’re allergic to. Over time, your body develops a tolerance to the allergen and is less likely to have an allergic reaction.

The spring and summer seasons present the perfect conditions for pollen to thrive. This can lead to allergy symptoms like sneezing, itching and watery eyes. If you experience seasonal allergies, it can be helpful to change your diet, clean your home, practice good hygiene and try natural remedies like meditation and yoga to reduce your allergy symptoms.

You can also talk to an ENT doctor about ways to reduce allergies during allergy season. Learn more about treating allergy symptoms with Mountain Ear, Nose & Throat Associates by contacting these phone numbers: Sylva: 828-586-7474, Franklin: 828-524-5599, Murphy: 828-835-1014 and New Asheville: 828-458-8100.