The Connection Between Humidity And Allergies
Humidity and allergies have a complicated relationship. You may experience heightened allergy symptoms both with too much and too little humidity in the air. To battle your Charles Town, West Virginia, allergies successfully, you need to find the elusive sweet spot where humidity in the home is just right. This can be a difficult proposition in the middle of winter, when your homes air can dry out to levels as low as 10 percent relative humidity. Read on to learn how too much or too little humidity can affect your allergies.
Can Air Purifiers Cause A Sore Throat
Recent research has shown that a sore throat can be caused by smoking, pollution or irritants in the air, allergies, and even dry air.
Although, there is a chance air purifiers can cause a sore throat.
But as mentioned before, not all purifiers can cause this.
Air cleaning machines work amazing well for removing air pollutants in the air. Which means youll have clean breathable air.
Most importantly, if your air purifier emits ozone gas, this could be the contributing factor to causing a sore throat.
If youve placed the setting too high on your air purification device for too long, this could also be bringing on sore throat symptoms.
First, reduce the settings to assess its effects. You can also try running a humidifier either before, after or during operation of an air purifier.
Depending on your needs and conditions, youll have to experiment with what works best.
Symptoms Of Seasonal Allergies
Typically, your immune system protects against bacteria and viruses. But if you have an allergy, your body has an oversensitive response to something that normally should not cause a reaction. We dont know why allergies develop, according to Dr. Schecker, but we know these things seem to be inherited.”
Allergy symptoms include:
- Itchy, watery or swollen eyes
- Sneezing and runny nose
Allergens can also worsen asthma, eczema and sinus problems, so its especially important to avoid triggers if you have any of these conditions.
Dont mistake allergy-related coughing and sneezing for a common cold or flu, which peaks from December to February. These ailments have different triggers, symptoms and treatments. A fever, body aches and a sore throat often point to a cold, but cold and allergy symptoms vary widely. If symptoms last longer than a few weeks or include itchy eyes, you may be experiencing an allergy. See your doctor for discomfort that wont quit.
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Chemical And Environmental Irritants
Many chemicals and products for cleaning, home repair, and more can irritate your nasal passages and sinuses. This can cause you to have dry sinuses, sore throat, dry nose, nosebleeds, or other symptoms similar to allergies. Some chemicals and products that can irritate your sinuses include:
- household cleaning products
- industrial irritants
- paint or varnish fumes
There are many ways you can treat dry sinuses at home to alleviate discomfort caused by seasonal allergies, irritation from chemicals, or drying from medications or dry air. To get relief, you can:
- place a humidifier in your bedroom at night to keep the air from getting too dry
- stop taking drying medications, such as antihistamines
- drink plenty of water to stay hydrated
- get some fresh air if the air in your house is stale or stagnant
- remove as many allergens and irritants from your environment as possible
- irrigate your sinuses with sterile saline using a neti pot or similar product
- use nasal spray to hydrate and lubricate your nasal passages and sinuses
- take a hot shower and inhale the steam
In some cases, your doctor might need to recommend treatment for your dry sinuses. Make an appointment with your doctor if you:
- have an autoimmune disorder like Sjögren syndrome
- are taking prescription medication that causes dry sinuses
- think you might have a sinus infection
Your doctor may:
Best Weather For Asthma
There is no optimal weather condition for people with asthma, but many find that consistency in temperatures and conditions is better for symptoms.
Allergens and pollutants in the air are two of the most significant factors that affect asthma symptoms. Certain types of weather may increase both air pollution and common allergens.
Some people with asthma experience problems in very cold or hot temperatures, which can increase airway irritation. Mild temperatures and low levels of humidity might decrease the risk of airway irritation.
Not only is humidity a problem for people with asthma, but other weather conditions can also lead to symptoms.
The weather conditions most likely to trigger asthma include:
- Extreme heat: When temperatures climb, pollution levels may also rise, which can trigger asthma symptoms.
- Cold, dry air: Cold, dry air can irritate the airways and lead to bronchospasm. This often results in common asthma symptoms, including coughing, wheezing, and trouble breathing.
- Windy conditions: Common allergens, such as pollen, blow around in the wind. Add rain into the mix, and it can lead to an increase in mold spores. Both pollen and mold are common triggers for people with asthma.
- Rapid changes in temperature: Some people are also sensitive to a quick change in weather conditions, such as heat one day and cold the next.
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Does Humidity Help Allergiesit Depends
Humidity is one of those things that we dont think of until its too high or too low. If you have allergies you might be wondering what the ideal humidity level is. Will humidity help allergies or make them worse?
Understanding whether humidity will help your allergies depends on a few things: 1) what youre allergic to, 2) your allergic symptoms, and 3) the time of year you experience your allergies.
Some people can benefit from humidity when they experience allergies and for some, it will make allergies worse.
In this article, Ill share the ideal humidity level for allergies, specific allergies, allergic symptoms, and the time of year. Ill share my experience living all over the U.S. in various climates .
Three Ways To Combat The Effects Of Dry Air
Allergy sufferers are particularly prone to the discomfort caused by dry indoor air. And individuals suffering from sinusitis must be especially careful to maintain a comfortable level of moisture in the air during the colder months since dry, irritated nasal passages lead to inflammation and flare-ups. Here are some ways to fight the problems associated with dry indoor air.
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Is An Air Purifier Good For Sinuses
Air purifiers come highly recommended by doctors, allergy specialists and organizations, like the EPA, to maintain decent indoor air quality.
An air purifier with a HEPA filter will remove mold, dust, pollen, bacteria, fungi and viruses from the environment.
These are all culprits that contribute to sinus issues, allergic reactions and other kinds of breathing problems.
If youre one who has sensitive sinuses and can feel the symptoms of sinusitis easy, then getting an air purifier is a must.
But, youll want to do your research and make sure that the manufacturer promotes stringent standards and testing for such a condition.
Why You Also Need To Up Your Hydration
If youre already someone who is prone toward dehydration , Dr. Allan recommends a few simple steps.
Increasing your fluid intake is always good, Dr. Allan says. The other way to treat it from the inside is to take omega-3 supplements. That can help normalize the fat in your skin cells, which helps keep the moisture trapped, and helps keep the oils on the surface of your skin.
Other tips for guarding against dry winter skin include:
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Will Humidity Help Allergies: What Time Of Year Do You Experience Your Allergies
Its also important to understand when you experience your allergies. If seasonal what time of the year?
Many people with eczema experience their worst symptoms during dry winter months. If so, you should take steps to reduce your symptoms during the winter.
In the summer, people with asthma and allergies to dust mites may experience more asthma attacks due to higher dust mite populations and high humidity. You can also take steps to minimize high humidity in the summer.
Why You Should Use A Humidifier
Cold winter air is dry because it holds less moisture than warm air. Because wintertime humidity is so low, what little moisture that is around is quickly sucked up into the air. So moisture evaporates more quickly from your body, which dries out your skin, makes a desert of the inside of your nose and leaves your throat parched.
Whats worse is that the furnaces that heat our homes can contribute to the problem by pumping our houses full of hot, dry air.
One way to combat the dryness is to add a humidifier either for the whole home or within certain rooms. Another effective way to add moisture to the air is to place large bowls of water around the home. The water evaporates and adds moisture.
Home humidity levels should be somewhere between 30% and 50%, Dr. Allan says. Dont overdo the humidity. Too much can cause mold growth and encourage dust and possibly cause respiratory issues, he says.
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Can Air Purifiers Cause Breathing Problems
There are some reports of people experiencing sinus and breathing problems upon using an air purifier.
Coughing, sore throat, Asthma, difficulty breathing and headaches are some of the symptoms.
There is a chance for some people that air purifiers can irritate health issues related to the lungs and breathing.
But this isnt the case for most air purifiers.
Often, its because some air purifiers have features of ozone technology or produce ozone as a byproduct of its operation.
This is true for air purifiers featuring ozone generation and electronic air purifiers.
Ozone can aggravate the lung and, thus, stimulate Asthma, coughing, sore throat and etc.
Also make sure there are no leaks or gaps that allow outside contaminants to come, thereby negating the effects of the air purifier.
For instance, if your air purifier or filter connects to an HVAC system, any ductwork gaps will lower the purifiers efficiency.
Likewise, if you leave windows open, this will also lower the effect of an air purifier.
So remember, it is important to go for an air purifier that is ozone free.
Consider That Your Pillow And Mattress May Be The Blame
Pillows and mattresses are great for you getting a good nights sleep, but they also excel at harboring allergy triggers such as dust mites, pollen, and pet dander. Replacing pillows or covering them with an anti-allergy pillow case helps. In addition, there are anti-allergen mattress covers for sale that are effective in helping to relieve nighttime allergy symptoms.
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How Can I Ease My Allergy Symptoms On A Rainy Day
“Don’t forget to take your allergy meds on a regular basis,” Dr. Elliott said, noting that nasal steroid sprays take at least five days to kick in, so they need to be taken for the entirety of allergy season in order to be effective. “On high pollen count days and when there is a storm, have a non-drowsy, as-needed antihistamine handy.”
If your allergy symptoms seem to get worse after it’s rained, Dr. Jain recommends being proactive about treatment in order to avoid experiencing a flare. “You can start taking a daily non-sedating antihistamine such as Zyrtec or Claritin during the rainy season. You can also begin using nasal sprays or your inhaler as needed or at the onset of any mild symptoms,” Dr. Jain said. “Saline nasal sprays are an effective way to reduce irritation or drying out of the nasal mucosa. Intranasal steroids, like Flonase, are also a great controller option to reduce swelling, congestion, postnasal drip, and nasal drainage caused by inhalation of environmental allergens.”
If you know what you’re allergic to, Dr. Jain suggests reducing exposure to known allergies as much as possible. If you don’t, it’s important make an appointment with an allergist so you can get tested and find out the best way to manage your symptoms.
How To Regulate The Humidity In Your Home
While you cant control the weather, you CAN take steps to regulate the humidity inside your house to help reduce your allergy symptoms. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the ideal indoor humidity level is 25-40%. Running your air conditioner will help remove excess humidity from the air. If thats not enough, or its too cool to turn on the AC, a dehumidifier will pull moisture out of the air, collect it, and then drain or pump it out of your home. If the indoor air is too dry, a whole-house humidifier will distribute water vapor throughout your home, and it comes with a hygrometer to measure the moisture in the air.
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Allergen: Cockroaches And Droppings
Cockroaches are known for being good hiders, so you may experience symptoms without even knowing the critters are in your home. Reduce exposure to cockroach allergens by keeping your home clean and tidy.
- Store food in sealed containers and keep garbage can lids tightly closed
- Seal cracks and crevices in walls and around windows
- Fix leaky pipes and faucets, which can attract roaches
- Avoid stacking papers, magazines, laundry and dishes, which are common hiding places for these critters
- Wipe down kitchen counters, dining tables, sinks, dish washers, toaster ovens and any other areas crumbs and food can accumulate
- Set out poison baits and traps and call an exterminator if necessary
How To Cope With Allergic Reactions Brought On By Dry Spell
Seasonal variations may be pleasant to some but a nuisance to allergy sufferers. During a dry and windy season, those with allergies would probably rather stay indoors in the comfort of an air-conditioned room.
In the last few weeks, I have had several patients who have showed up complaining of allergy and upper respiratory symptoms. Some ask, “Is this my allergies? Is it a cold or the weather?”
Well, in response, I can say dry weather is an ideal environment for tree, grass, and weed pollens, and even a slight breeze will cause them to move around. Humidity and rain, on the other hand, prevent the pollen traffic.
On a dry day with wind, loose pollens are scattered in the air, and if dry weather continues day after day, as it has in the Bay Area, air-borne pollens increase and become a significant source of allergens. Our current dry weather has also increased pollution, which also causes nasal and eye irritation, regardless of allergies. Of course those with underlying allergies are prone to other triggers such as cars’ exhaust fumes and smoke.
With high pollen counts, typical allergy symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, postnasal drip, itchy palate and red, watery, and itchy eyes become frequent and significant. Those who have allergic asthma or respiratory allergy may experience respiratory symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest tightness, cough or wheezing.
— Use antihistamine eye drops for eye allergy.
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Treat The Underlying Problem
If youre at your wits end with your allergies, moving to or from a certain location may not be the answer. At Coastal Ear, Nose & Throat, we will create a specific plan for you and your needs to help you tackle your allergies once and for all. Call to schedule a consultation in the Savannah, GA area.
Summer Storms May Cause Your Allergies To Feel More Severe Here’s Why
There are many things to love about spring and summer, but the fact that it’s prime allergy season is definitely not one of them. To make matters worse, these warmer months of 2021 have been particularly brutal due to higher pollen counts that are the result of climate change. In addition to heightened summer temperatures, the climate emergency has led to above-average rainfall and if you’ve noticed that your allergies seem particularly bad on rainy days, you’re not alone.
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Hvac And Plumbing Experts Know Best
Family owned and operated, Beltz Home Service Co. provides the highest standard for HVAC and Plumbing Services in Findlay, Ohio. In business for almost 20 years, Beltz Home Service Co. is committed to quality workmanship and unbeatable service. Their customer-focused approach is the reason why Findlay residents continue to trust their expertise.
Winter Symptoms Similar To Spring/summer/fall Ones
Although specific data is hard to come by, I would estimate that roughly 5-20% of Americans suffer from some form of winter allergy, based on the number of patients I see in my Westchester Health practice.
James Pollowitz, MD, FAAAAI, FACAAI
The symptoms of winter allergies are fairly identical to those of spring, summer and fall:
- sneezing
- itchy eyes, nose and throat
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How Cleaning Can Make Allergies Worse
If youre one of the 50 million people in the United States that suffer from allergies, you most likely have been prepping for Spring, when allergy symptoms can be at their worst. Keeping your home clean and free of irritants is a necessity, but its important to pay attention to how youre choosing to clean it turns out some of the most common ways to clean your home can actually trigger your allergies or make them worse.
While many cleaning methods are effective at alleviating certain allergies, theyre equally effective at triggering others, simply because theyre harming your indoor air quality. To help keep you healthy this allergy season, weve put together a list of the most common allergy-causing cleaning methods, and the small changes you can make so your air quality isnt affected:
