Dealing with Autumn Allergies

Autumn Allergies

Dealing with autumn allergies is almost all about ragweed relief. Taming mold can also help you live symptom free. Ragweed loves cool nights and warm days. Mold grows quickly in heat and high humidity, peaking in the autumn.

There are a number of things you can do to deal with these allergies in order to reduce your symptoms.

Know Your Allergy Triggers

As mentioned, there are two main triggers in the fall: ragweed and other weed pollens, and mold.

Ragweed is a hardy plant that can produce billions of grains of pollen in a single season. Studies have shown that the pollen can be borne on the wind as far as 400 miles because they are so lightweight.

Mold is present all year round, but if the year has been damp, and as the cooler and wetter autumn days arrive, mold can proliferate everywhere - including hay and straw, and raked leaves.

In general, when there is more rain, there is more pollen and mold, so the weather each year will be a strong determining factor in just how bad the allergy season will be.

Self-Help for Ragweed Allergy

There are a number of common-sense things you can do to help relieve your allergy symptoms.

1. Stay away from the allergen

Avoid fields full of weeds, barns and haylofts. Skip the hayrides on the local farm.

2. Wear a protective mask and goggles when gardening or doing yard work like raking leaves

This will slow down pollen and mold spores from affecting you.

3. Haul your garden rubbish away

Don’t leave your weeds, tree prunings or raked leaves in the yard. Rake up everything, bag it and bring it to your local recycling center to get composted.

4. Use air conditioners with HEPA filters

HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters help prevent pollen from coming into a room via the air conditioner. There will still be some warm days of Indian summer when pollen and mold spores will be going wild. Change the filters often to help keep your house allergen-free.

5. Check the pollen forecast when you are planning to be outdoors

Weather.com reports this information, so you can decide when might be the best time to go out and enjoy the fresh air without the misery of an allergy attack. You can also check at the National Allergy Bureau website, especially if you are planning to travel. http://www.aaaai.org/global/nab-pollen-counts

6. Vacation or live by the ocean

Pollen counts are a lot lower near the ocean as compared with wooded areas.

7. Wear sunglasses to stop allergens from blowing into your eyes

8. Wash your hair regularly, and especially if you have been outdoors

This will help keep allergens away and also prevent any that you might have picked up from going onto your pillowcase.

9. Wash your eyebrows and eyelashes gently with a mild soap

These are two other places where allergens can stick and accumulate.

10. Wash the pets

They can bring pollen and other allergens in on their fur, so wash them once a month, or more often if they spend a lot of time outdoors.

11. Cut back your garden

Be sure to weed regularly.

12. Be diligent about mold and mildew

Keep the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry rooms, mud rooms and so on scrupulously clean. If your house tends to be damp, use special mildew-retardant paint.

13. Exercise in the morning or late in the day

If you go out for a walk or run, pollen counts will be typically lower at these points in the day. Note that pollen will always be at its worst on a hot, sunny day with lots of wind as compared with a cool, cloudy day without a lot of wind.

14. See an allergist

An allergist specializes in ways to treat a wide variety of allergies, including ragweed allergy. They can offer self-care suggestions, medications (both over the counter and prescription), and other tried-and-tested methods for taming your ragweed and mold allergies.

Suggestions many include:

* Nasal lavage (washing) using a neti pot or other tool to flush allergens out of your nasal passages and sinuses

* Nasal sprays like Flonase and Nasonex, which contain corticosteroids

* Oral antihistamines like Allegra and Claritin, or Zyrtec and Clarinex, which require a prescription.

* Astelin is a nasal spray antihistamine that offers good relief of symptoms.
https://www.rxlist.com/astelin-drug.htm

* Histamines are released during an allergic reaction, so antihistamines prevent the release of histamines, easing your allergy symptoms

* Over-the-counter and prescription eye drops can help itchy eyes. Brands to look out for include Visine-A and Patanol.

* The doctor may suggest Singulair, also used to treat asthma. It works by blocking leukotrienes, substances which trigger allergy symptoms.

* Decongestants can help with the runny and stuffy nose common with allergies. However, it is important to note that they may increase your blood pressure and heart rate. Those with certain medical issues should therefore not take decongestants, so be sure to ask your doctor if they are right for you.

15. Watch your diet

Certain foods can actually trigger your ragweed allergy symptoms. Foods to avoid include:

* Bananas
* Cucumbers
* Melons
* Pineapple
* Sunflower seeds
* Zucchini
* Chamomile tea (and teas with chamomile in them, such as Sleepytime teas or anti-anxiety teas)