Tips for Hay Fever Sufferers

It can be difficult to live with hay fever or allergies. The symptoms can wreak havoc with your health and well-being, forcing you to miss days of work or school. You can take some simple, common sense steps to reduce your exposure to allergens so that you have a better chance of getting through the hay fever season without suffering the runny nose, sinus headaches or asthma attacks.

Indoors

• Finding ways to lessen the effect allergies have on you should start inside your home and place of work. Dust regularly (once a week) in order to keep both dust and dust mites down since both can cause problems for you. When you dust, use a cloth dampened with furniture polish or oil. Vacuum frequently, using bag-free "cyclone" style vacuum cleaners. Also, find ways to reduce your contact with animals. If you already have a pet, keep it out of your room and, if possible, off of carpeted areas. If your pet is an outdoors animal, try to minimize his time indoors as much as possible or have another family member brush and bathe him frequently so he brings in fewer allergens on his fur.

  Keep doors and windows closed, especially in the mid-morning, late afternoon to early evening and night time hours when pollen counts have risen. Rely on your air conditioner and fans to keep your home cool. Use a clothes dryer instead of hanging your wet clothing outside. You want to reduce the amount of pollen in your house and on your laundry as much as possible.

Minimizing Allergens

• Reduce your contact with allergens as much as possible by staying indoors between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. whenever you can during the spring and early summer. Pollen counts are highest during these times of the day. Stay indoors just after a thunderstorm since the particulate count is highest at these times. Particulates are the visible allergens which are blown around on the wind. Wash your hands and face, particularly your eyes, during high-pollen count days. If you have to go out, take a shower and wash your hair to remove pollen which you have carried in. Change your clothes, as well.

Preventive Action

• Obtain a prescription from your allergist for an allergy medication and start taking it two weeks before the allergy season begins. You will have a consistent level of the medication in your system, which means your body will react less strongly to the pollen and other allergens. Choose flowers with large, waxy blooms such as lillies; the pollen is too heavy to cause an allergic reaction. Be sure to take your shoes off when you come inside so you don't bring pollen indoors with you. If your symptoms don't subside despite taking preventive and avoidance measures, you may need to undergo allergy testing to find out more about your specific allergens.