Tips for Your Seasonal Allergy Experience

Seven Allergy Tips for Spring Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis (SAR)

If you have SAR you may already be sneezing, blowing (your nose), and rubbing your eyes. Trees have been waiting for a warm spell to explode their pollen into the air and create a hazardous environment for millions of allergy sufferers in the Midwest and other areas of the United States.

Allergic Rhinitis (also called Hayfever, Sinus, Summer Cold…) may be a transient annoyance, or incapacitating. You may have wonderful prescription medication but if they are not started at the right time, and taken regularly (depending on the type of medication) you may find them very ineffective.

Here are seven tips to assist you in managing your SAR.

1) Most prescribed antihistamines (Allegra, Clarinex…) should be started early in the season or preseason to optimize your response. For seasonal allergy, antihistamine medication should not be stopped for several weeks.

2) If you have a nasal spray steroid (Flonase, Nasonex, Nasacort, Rhinocort etc.) start it early (1-2 weeks before you typically start having symptoms) and use proper nasal spray technique (see my article: How Good is Your Nasal Spray Technique, March 16th--scroll down). Take the nasal spray daily for most or all of the season (avoid the quick acting over the counter sprays).

3) Prescription allergy eye drops (antihistamine type), if you are on them, should be taken at least thirty minutes before outdoor exposure, and each day during the active season.

4) Keep your home windows (especially bedroom) down and your car windows up. This reduces pollen allergy exposure. Run your a/c sooner if necessary.

If your car allows you to recycle the inner compartment air, do it!

5) Change the filters on your heating/cooling system if overdue. This should usually be done monthly based on the specifications of your system.

6) Avoid environmental irritants such as tobacco smoke, strong perfumes and odors. Indoor and outdoor pollutants (irritants) may amplify allergy symptoms.

7) Keep some nasal saline (salt water) spray around to rinse out your nasal passages 2-3 times a day. Avoid nasal saline rinses within an hour of taking a medicated nasal spray. Nasal saline is not medication. It may further enhance your management of allergy symptoms when taking other allergy medications.

If you find that you still feel miserable despite the above recommendations, or you perhaps started treatment too late, see your allergist or primary doctor.

Inadequately treated nasal allergies leave you vulnerable to complications which include sinusitis, cough, headache, fatigue and worsening asthma (if you have a history of asthma).