Ways to Protect Yourself From Summer Allergies

Allergies in Summer

Summer usually means family vacations, summer camps, amusement parks, and festivals. It is the perfect time to relax and spend time with family and friends. However, it is also a time for you to catch those allergens that makes you cough, sneeze, have a runny nose and irritated eyes. It is estimated that there are approximately 36 million people in the United States who suffer from seasonal allergies. Whatever it is you’re allergic to whether it’s pollen, mold, or pet dander. it seems that there’s almost always more of it in summer. And you need to protect yourself from summer allergies in order to fully enjoy the summer season.

Luckily for you, there are some definite steps you can take to avoid —or at least lessen—the summer allergies symptoms. We’re going to list some preventative actions so that you can control your allergies and prevent allergic reactions. So gear up against the invasion of allergens to avoid spoiling the fun.

What Causes Summer Allergies?

Seasonal allergies happen during times of the year.  The majority of summer allergies are caused by inhaled allergens like pollen and dust that contributes to increasing airborne allergens that can be all impossible to avoid. Pollen is the biggest culprit that triggers summer allergies. The types of plant to blame differs by location. These include:

• Weeds
  • Ragweed
  • Pigweed
  • Cockleweed
  • Sagebrush
• Grasses
  • Bermuda
  • Orchard
  • Blue grasses
  • Ryegrass
  • Timothy

Ragweed is one of the most common summer allergy triggers. It blooms and releases pollen from August to November but in many areas of the country, ragweed pollen levels are highest in early to mid-September. However, the real culprits of summer seasonal allergies are grasses such as ryegrass and timothy and as well as certain weeds.

Summer Allergies Symptoms

Summer allergies or seasonal allergies are common during spring, summer or fall when certain plants pollinate. Different plants release pollen that causes severe symptoms for the people with allergies depending on the season. The symptoms of summer allergies range from mild to severe symptoms include:

• runny or stuffy nose
• sneezing
• coughing
• watery eyes
• itchy nose, eyes and throat
• dark circles under your eyes

Summer Allergies Treatment

Antihistamines are often used to treat environmental seasonal or summer allergies. It aids in blocking the body’s over-productive histamine response to a trigger substance.

Over-the-counter medications for your summer allergies include:

• General decongestants
• Eye drops
• Nasal sprays
• Nasal irrigation
• Nasal spray decongestants
• Corticosteroid nasal sprays

In addition to over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, allergies can be helped by these home remedy treatments:

• Eating local honey
• Taking probiotics
• Drinking tea made with natural antihistamines, like nettle leaf
• Saline rinses and saline nasal sprays
• Drinking apple cider vinegar

How to Protect Yourself from Seasonal Allergies?

• Know what your allergy is. 

Everyone is different and that also applies when it comes to allergies. You might be allergic to a particular thing while your friend is allergic to something entirely different. You have to keep in mind that there are numerous allergens present during summer. You need to identify which one it is you’re allergic to. Once you do, it will be easier for you to avoid those allergens and protect yourself from allergies.

• Time your activities appropriately. 

It is important to know when to go out during the summer. If you’re allergic to pollen, going out in the afternoon and early evening might be a bad idea as these are the peak pollination times for grasses. As much as possible, go outside after a good rain. The rain helps clear out pollen from the air. However, if you decide to go outside to enjoy the sun, just make sure to wear a mask. Also, remove the clothes you’ve worn outside for there might be pollen sticking to it and take a shower to rinse the pollen from your skin and hair.

• Keep your indoor air clean. 

Control the quality of your indoor air by making sure to keep your doors and windows closed at home. However, when you do, make use of highly efficient air filters to trap the allergens and dust. It would also help if you clean your carpets, rugs, and floor mats. All the pollen, plant matter, and mold spores you get outside are all entangled in your rugs and carpets. Cleaning them with a vacuum cleaner that has a high-efficient particulate air (HEPA) filter may help in removing the hidden dirt and pollen in your carpets.

Wash your bedding and pillowcases weekly and keep your bedroom tidy. This will help prevent allergens to accumulate on your sheets and pillows. To effectively rinse and clean away pollen in your bedding, use hot water as it has the ability to fend off the allergens.

• Rinse your sinuses

One of the quickest and effective ways of relieving nasal congestion is through rinsing your nasal passages with saline solution. It flushes out the mucus and allergens from your nose, making it easier to breathe. Just ensure you’re using clean water. If possible, use water that are distilled or sterile.

• Use sunscreen when going out. 

The summer season can become extremely hot.  Because of this, a lot of people get skin allergies. Using sunscreen before going out would be a good idea to protect your skin against the heat of the sun.

• Take extra steps when pollen counts are high. 

During summer, there’s a lot of pollen in the air so you need to watch out for the pollen count. You can check your local radio station, newspaper or even the Internet to be informed on the current pollen levels. If the pollen counts forecasted are high and you need to go outside, start taking allergy medication prescribed by your doctor to prevent the symptoms from occurring. In addition, close your doors and windows at night or before going to sleep so that pollen won’t get inside your room.

• Always prepare your allergy medications. 

There are a lot of over-the-counter (OTC) medications that could help alleviate allergy symptoms. Some of the common nonprescription medications you can take that are readily available on pharmacies include oral antihistamines, decongestants, and nasal sprays. It’s better to have these medications ready just in case your allergies get triggered. The good thing about these medications is that you can just keep taking them throughout the summer without thinking about the serious side effects.

Final Thoughts

Allergies can make the most fun season of the year a miserable one. However, you do not have to hide indoors and sacrifice your summer just to be allergy-free. With a few preventative actions and preparations, you can enjoy the wonderful weather and great outdoors without succumbing to your summer allergy symptoms.

If you have bad summer allergies and over-the-counter medications are not enough anymore, you need to contact your doctor or your allergist for him to recommend some other treatment options for you. You can schedule a meeting with Dr. Paul Jantzi, a board-certified allergy clinic in the Brazos Valley region. He provides different treatments and allergy tests to clients at numerous locations in in Bastrop, Brenham, College Station, Columbus, Giddings, and La Grange. You can visit him at his office locations in the south-central Texas region or call their contact numbers to set up an appointment.

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REFERENCES:

Beliefnet
Apollo Pharmacy
SignatureCare Emergency Center
Mayo Clinic