Wear A Mask Outside During Peak Allergy Season
Masks can help filter out pollen and reduce allergy symptoms.
A small 2021 study found that people who wore either medical or FFP2 masks reduced their exposure to pollen and staved away allergy symptoms.
Another small 2021 study also found that wearing face masks helped allergy sufferers avoid symptoms in both the nose and eyes.
Check your local weather for the pollen count. On days with a high amount of pollen in the air, you might want to wear a mask while outside.
Protect Your Kid’s Eyes
Itchy, red, teary eyes are one of the most aggravating symptoms of allergies. The itch stems from inflammation of the mucous membrane covering the whites of the eyes and inner eyelids. The fix: Keep pollen away from your child’s face. Edith Schussler, M.D., a pediatric allergist at Weill Cornell Medicine, in New York City, advises wearing sunglasses and a hat with a brim. Kids touch their face all the time, but with these accessories on, your child will be less likely to rub their eyes.
Eyebright Infusion To Relieve Eye Discomfort
Eyebright is a medicinal plant with many beneficial properties to treat different eye conditions, it is soothing, anti-inflammatory, natural eye drops.
Eyebright infusion will help us improve the symptoms of persistent tearing as well as reduce the inflammation of the eyelids. Therefore, with this wonderful infusion we will make some eye washes.
We will prepare the infusion with 10 grams of eyebright plant and a cup of mineral water.
We put the water to boil, and when it starts to boil we add the eyebright. Remove from the heat, cover the infusion and let it rest for 10 minutes. Strain the infusion, and let it cool.
Application of eye baths:
Once the infusion is cold, wet sterile gauze in the infusion and apply it to the eyes.
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Make Sure Your Appliances Have Hepa Filters
If you dont have a high-efficiency particulate air filter in your vacuum cleaner, you may be making your symptoms worse by stirring up pollen that has settled on your floor and furniture, says Selina Gierer, a doctor of osteopathic medicine and allergy expert at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City. Using HEPA filters in your air conditioner or heating system can also help ease allergy symptoms. Some experts suggest placing a freestanding air purifier with a HEPA filter in a high-traffic area.
These Natural Remedies Can Provide Seasonal Allergy Relief
Butterbur
The herb butterbur is a shrub-like plant that grows in northern Asia, Europe, and parts of North America. Extracts made from the herb have been used in folk medicine for allergies, asthma, migraines, stomach cramps, and coughs.
Exactly how butterbur works is still not known, but it is thought to work in a similar way to allergy medications by blocking the action of histamine and leukotrienes, inflammatory chemicals involved in allergic reactions.
Numerous studies have shown butterbur can significantly improve unpleasant allergy symptoms.
In a study involving 186 people with hay fever, participants took a higher dose of butterbur , a lower dose or a placebo. After two weeks, both the higher and lower dose relieved allergy symptoms compared to the placebo, but there were significantly greater benefits seen with the higher dose.
In another study, 330 people with hay fever were given a butterbur extract , the antihistamine drug fexofenadine , or a placebo. Butterbur was as effective as fexofenadine at relieving sneezing, nasal congestion, itchy eyes, and other hay fever symptoms, and both treatments were more effective than the placebo.
In a 2003 review, butterbur was found to be equally effective for itchy eyes as a commonly used oral antihistamine.
Quercetin
Stinging Nettle
Bromelain
Vitamin C
Vitamin C boosts the immune system. It also acts as a natural antihistamine.
Local honey
Garlic
Turmeric
Omega-3 fatty acids
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Tip #: Break Up With Fragrance
Fragrance is ubiquitous in most American homes. Its also one of the worlds top allergens. The single word fragrance on an ingredient list is a toxic red flag that represents a proprietary fragrance recipe containing potentially hundreds of harmful chemicals.
The chemicals in fragrance recipes have been found to be asthmagens , carcinogens , endocrine disruptors , neurotoxins , and obesogens, . These chemicals bring down our immunity and can irritate the eyes, lungs, nasal passages, and entire respiratory system which heightens your sensitivity to other allergens.
So imagine trying to clean to reduce your allergies while unknowingly spraying a bunch of fragranced products into the air while youre wearing perfume and doing laundry with that signature fresh scent detergent.
Opt for cleaning, laundry, candles, air fresheners, and personal care products that are fragrance-free.
Learn more in: How To Remove Synthetic Fragrance From Your Home.
When To See An Allergist
If home remedies dont seem to alleviate your allergy symptoms, theres no reason to continue suffering. Schedule an appointment with an allergist to discuss medical solutions. I think it is really helpful to find an allergist that you can partner within your care and letting him/her know your goals of care, says Dr. Wada. Education and information can be incredibly empowering and meeting with an allergy expert is going to help you understand all the options available to treat your symptoms. For instance, immunotherapy in the form of allergy shots, drops, or tablets that contain regimented doses of specific allergens could provide long-lasting relief. Over time, the body learns to ignore these triggers rather than fight them, explains Dr. Wada. Dr. Parikh agrees. Allergen immunotherapy is a great option to decrease and improve your allergies over time, she says.
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The Best Natural Remedy For Allergies
The best natural remedy for allergies is, when possible, avoidance. Both doctors and natural healers will suggest that you limit or avoid allergens, which are what causes your allergic reaction.
You should avoid exposure to your allergens. For example, if youve had an allergic reaction to a sulfa drug, let your doctor know about your allergy. Theyll most likely prescribe an alternate antibiotic if youll ever need one.
That being said, some allergens are hard to avoid. In that case, after discussing your symptoms with your doctor, you might consider a home remedy for allergies to deal with the results of exposure to an allergen.
Steer Clear Of Outdoor Allergens Whenever Possible
It is always helpful to check the pollen levels and allergy forecast ahead of time and limit outdoor time on particularly allergen-heavy days. These can be found easily online as well as on certain apps.
For occasions where you cant avoid going outside, wearing sunglasses can be helpful to keep pollen out of your eyes. Other than that, it is likely best to avoid crossing paths with too many plants. Today isnt the day to stop and smell the roses.
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Tip #: Clean Up Your Air Quality
Even though people are buying non-toxic products right and left, most people still have products with harmful chemicals sitting throughout their homes. Even if these toxic products are not being used, they impact the air quality.
Think about how you can smell the products in the cleaning and pesticide aisle of the store. Those products are not only closed, they are also sealed yet you can smell toxic VOCs emitting from the bottles.
The same thing happens in your home creating a low-level chemical soup your body has to constantly detoxify. Exposure to harmful chemicals impacts our immune system. Tossing these toxic products increases our ability to adapt and allergic reactions are reduced or are eliminated!
Make An Appointment With An Acupuncturist
Researchers aren’t sure why it works, but, according to a 2015 meta-analysis, acupuncture was found to improve the symptoms and quality of life of allergy sufferers.
Note: Make sure you go to a certified acupuncture practitioner. You can search the registry for the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine to find a certified acupuncturist in your area.
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Why Do Drug Allergies Happen
Your immune system helps protect you from disease. Its designed to fight foreign invaders such as viruses, bacteria, parasites, and other dangerous substances. With a drug allergy, your immune system mistakes a drug that enters your body for one of these invaders. In response to what it thinks is a threat, your immune system begins to make antibodies. These are special proteins that are programmed to attack the invader. In this case, they attack the drug.
This immune response leads to increased inflammation, which can cause symptoms such as rash, fever, or trouble breathing. The immune response might happen the first time you take the drug, or it may not be until after youve taken it many times with no problem.
Natural Remedies For Allergies
Resolving seasonal allergies may just be a matter of finding and addressing the root cause. Its about getting a deeper level of understanding of why youre having an allergic response and then taking steps to decrease or reverse symptoms, explains Dr. Young.
But if youre not sure of the cause be it tree pollen, ragweed, mold or dust, etc. what can you do to tamp down the sniffling, sneezing and wheezing that come when seasonal allergy triggers spike? Here are eight ideas you can try.
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Turn Up The Heat On Laundry Day
Linens should be washed in water thats at least 103°F to rid them of dust mites and their wastes-and you may need to set your water heater higher to reach that temp. To test your machines water temperature, set the cycle to hot, stop the washer once the machine is filled, and dip a meat thermometer into the water .
If youre worried about scalding or your machine doesnt reach that temperature, consider taking your bedding to a professional laundry service and requesting a high-temperature wash.
What Are Some Seasonal Allergy Treatments
Prevention is key for seasonal allergy relief. The following tips can help your recovery:
- Remove any plants that could be causing your reaction. Its common for people to be allergic to hard-to-see things like pollen.
- Change your daily routine so that youre not around the source of your discomfort. Avoid the outdoors between 5:00 am and 10:00 am. Save outside activities for late afternoon or after a heavy rain, when pollen counts are lower.
- Change your clothes when you get home to avoid tracking allergens around your living space.
- Keep windows in your home and car closed to lower exposure to pollen. To keep cool, use air conditioners and avoid using window fans.
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Top 9 Natural Allergy Relief Home Remedies
According to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America, one in five people, or an estimated 50 million Americans, suffer from some type of allergies. The chances are high that you or someone you know deals with ongoing allergies, whether seasonal allergies, food allergies or another type, and could use allergy relief at least from time to time.
Most people who struggle to find allergy relief go to the doctor to be treated and/or are routinely given pharmaceuticals ranging from acetaminophens to antihistamines, both of which may actually further aggravate the symptoms they were given for. If you prefer not to take prescriptions to keep your symptoms under a control, what can help allergies at home?
Home remedies for allergies including symptoms like congested sinuses, headaches, and watery or itchy eyes include using frankincense essential oil, eucalyptus oil and quercetin. Below youll learn about nine amazing, all-natural home remedies for allergies that can help provide fast allergy relief.
How Exercise Is Used
People with allergies can follow the exercise recommendations for the general population. This includes at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week. These activities include walking, running, cycling, treadmill exercise, swimming, and more.
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Otc Medications For Allergies
If these natural remedies and lifestyle changes are not cutting it for you, you may want to try over the counterallergy medicines, including antihistamines like Claritin, Xyzal, and Zyrtec. These are what are called second-generation antihistamines, which means they are less likely to cause drowsiness, Mehdizadeh says.
You can also try Benadryl, which is a first-generation antihistamine. Meaning it’s more likely to cause drowsiness and is best to take at night.
Take Meds At Night Not In The Morning
Hay fever symptoms, such as runny nose, scratchy throat, and sneezing typically, are at their worst in the morning. What helps for most people is taking medication at bedtime, says Richard Martin, MD, a pulmonologist at National Jewish Health in Denver. Dont forget to ask these super-important questions next time youre prescribed a new medication!
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Close Your Windows On Days When The Pollen Count Is High
It feels good to have fresh spring breezes blowing through the window. But unfortunately, they carry pollen particles indoors with them. These particles settle down everywhere, from the walls and floors to the furniture, drapes, and even your clothes. They then proceed to trigger your allergies even if you dont step outside.
Closing your windows on high pollen count days will prevent pollen from getting indoors limiting your exposure and minimizing the symptoms.
Install An Air Filter
HEPA filters are an efficient way to keep the air clean in your home, and they can bring relief from pollen, mold, and pet dander. When you use an air filter in any room remember to keep the door closed to reduce the overall volume of air that the machine is trying to clean.
One thing to note: Air filters are not of much use against dust mites because the dead mites float in the air for only a few minutes before falling and that is not long enough for the filter to draw them in. To deal with those pesky little buggers, you should.
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Opt For Extra Moisturising Eye Drops
Swelling, itching and watering the eyes can suffer after exposure to pet allergies. As the area is already quite sensitive at this time, we dont want to make matters worse by putting harsh products on top and because of this Id always go for natural eye drops.
Our Extra Moisturising Eye Drops are a superb option as they contain natural ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and a herb known as eyebright. Together these ingredients act swiftly to ease irritation and moisturise the eyes.
Ten Ways To Alleviate Seasonal Allergies Without Medication
When your immune system overreacts to an airborne substance that doesnt bother everyone around you, you have allergies. Pollen, dust mites, pet dander, mold spores and insect stings are the biggest culprits of seasonal allergies.
Increased pollen counts and higher temperatures across the globe are contributing to longer and more severe allergy seasons. This means many people whove never had an issue before are experiencing seasonal allergy symptoms for the first time. However, because these symptoms are so similar to the common cold, many just assume theyve caught a bug. If this sounds familiar, the best way to tell the difference between allergies and a cold is whether you have a fever. If youve been feeling unwell for 7 days or longer without a fever, you are probably suffering from seasonal allergies.
When you seek medical treatment for allergy symptoms, your doctor will typically prescribe medications or injections to help you feel better. But the good news is that there are a lot of things you can do at home to alleviate seasonal allergies without medication.
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Keeping Allergens Out Of Your Home
Some people are also sensitive to indoor allergens like mold, dust, and pet dander. Additionally, outdoor allergens can get into your home if you dont clean regularly. Taking some steps to keep your home clean and allergen-free can be a huge benefit.
When To See A Doctor
If you cant find any relief from your allergy symptoms, its a good idea to see a doctor. Of course, if youre having severe allergic reactions, you should always seek out medical care right away.
Doctors can confirm your symptoms are the result of allergies, and they can help you identify the specific allergens causing you problems. Wyndly makes meeting with a dedicated doctor convenient for your schedule. Meet with one of our allergy doctors to get a personalized treatment plan to help you beat your allergies.
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