DISCLAIMER:
Zach Heppner is not a medical expert. Please read this as friendly advice and not a professional medical opinion.
Stuffy nose? Itchy eyes? Coughing? Sneezing? Mucus? Yes, it is allergy season and if you are like me or millions of other Americans, then you are most likely turning to Claritin, Zyrtec, or Allegra for some sort of relief from these never ending symptoms.
Although these medications usually help to combat allergy symptoms, you may be doing things in your everyday routine that are making your allergies worse. Hopefully these common allergy mistakes and tips can help you have a “tissue-free” allergy season.
The wrong medication is a common mistake that many allergy victims tend to make, especially if it is their first experience. Most of the medications such as Claritin, Allegra, and Zyrtec contain similar ingredients, but work differently for each person.
In this case, it is best to experiment to see which works best for you or see an Allergist. It is also essential that you take the allergy medication daily. Claritin is not an instant allergy cure, it needs to be taken daily during allergy season. On the other hand, Benadryl is an immediate solution, but will also make you drowsy and most likely put you to sleep.
Stress is another factor that may make your allergies worse. Stress weakens the immune system and your body in general, which is not the right combination to fight off your seasonal allergies. Stress also stimulates proteins in the blood that may trigger some allergy symptoms.
Drinking alcohol, such as wine and beer, is also a bad idea during allergy season. Not only could you be allergic to some of the wheat, bacteria, or yeast used to produce that alcohol, but it also increases blood flow to the linings of your nose, which in turn, makes your nasal allergies worse.
If not being able to drink much during allergy season is getting you down, you may not want to hear that you should also be doing more laundry and keeping your room clean. Your clothes and sweatshirts attract pollen, dust, and other allergens from the outdoors. When you throw your sweatshirt on the floor of your room or leave your shoes on in the house you are bringing those allergens inside and possibly making your allergies worse.
Stuffed animals, rugs, and clutter are also big mistakes for people with allergies since they are magnets for dust, mold, and pollen that find their way into your room. Keeping your room clean and the floor bare could help eliminate some of your allergy and sleeping woes.
As an allergy sufferer myself, this next mistake was a tough one for me to get rid of. Sleeping with your cat or dog in your bed is a thing most of us love to do, but these pets can also be the catalyst for allergy symptoms.
Even if you are not allergic to your furry friend, he or she may be bringing in pollen, dust, mold, or other allergens from outside on their fur. Bringing this to your bed could make for a long night with a stuffy nose and persistent cough.
Another simple tip to conquering your allergies is taking a shower when you come home and don’t plan on going back out. Even if you shower in the morning, it is very important to shower later to get rid of the allergens on your body that you have attracted throughout the day.
Anticipating and preparing for the allergy season is crucial.
Watching the pollen count may not seem like the most exciting activity, but it could help you to prepare for the day and prevent allergies. Closing the windows and turning on the air during a high pollen count may be the way to stop those allergy symptoms.
If these tips aren’t enough to keep your allergies in check, then it may be time to see an Allergist that can run tests to see what you are allergic to so that you can avoid it and find the proper medication.
Zach Heppner
Viewpoints Editor
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