Using Technology to Get You Healthier

Seasonal changes bring beautiful flowers, fall leaves, and greenery, but they also come with allergies. When you start getting the occasional headaches, sneezes and itchy eyes, you know that seasonal allergies have set in. Unfortunately, these symptoms can get pretty severe and unbearable, and they may even affect your daily performance. So if you have been hunting the medicine cabinet for allergy relief, you may benefit from the following tips for managing and preventing seasonal allergies.

Understand your body

Flowers and trees start to bloom at different times of the year, and this means that people experience allergic reactions occur at various times of the year. The first step to proper management is to know when your allergies kick in. Pay attention to the time of the year when you start experiencing allergy symptoms and learn to differentiate them from the cold or flu. For example, allergic reactions are not accompanied by a fever; therefore, if you are feeling feverish, you probably have the flu. However, if you have a stuffy nose, watery eyes, headaches and sneezing that don't go away in a week or two, your body is reacting to an irritant. Once you know this, you can plan your remedies to avoid adverse reactions.

Know your triggers

You can only prevent seasonal allergies if you know what triggers them and stay away from it. Some of the common irritants are grass and weed pollen, dust mites, pet dander and mold. So if your allergies kick in during the summer when you step outdoors, they could be as a result of exposure to weed pollens or dust mites. If they occur in late spring, they may be caused by grass pollen. On the other hand, if the allergies are present all year round, they may be as a result of an irritant in your home or work area such as dust or pet dander. Knowing this will help you stay away from things that cause the problem. You can also take measures such as getting rid of a pet or vacuuming the carpet daily to get rid of the irritants.

Get allergy medication

Sometimes, you may not be able to avoid seasonal allergies, and the only option to keep down the symptoms is to get medication. Get your antihistamines and other medications early so that you can curb the symptoms on time. Strive to take your medication at least a week before the season begins. Combine prescription or OTC meds with at-home remedies such as a neti pot, facial steaming, and lemon and honey teas to soothe the body and remove irritants.

Talk to a medical clinic if you are unable to manage seasonal allergies with home remedies and OTC antihistamines.