To get rid of seasonal allergies, you may need to make lifestyle changes and use medication.
Knowing what you’re allergic to can also help in avoiding allergy triggers.
Your healthcare provider may recommend skin tests and/or blood tests to find out exactly what allergens trigger your symptoms.
Verywell / Danie Drankwalter
These reports tell you whether the amount of pollen in the air is low, medium, or high.
During the seasons when your allergies are the worst, shower before bed.
It will also ensure youre not exposed while you sleep.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Keep Windows Shut
During peak allergy season, keep your doors and windows shut.
This will help limit the number of allergens that drop your house.
If youre craving fresh air, go outside for a walk when pollen counts are generally lower.
Use An Air Purifier
Even with windows shut, youll likely have some allergens in your home.
To reduce their impact on you, use anair purifier.
These devices draw indoor air into the machine and pass it through a filter.
Some people also benefit from using ahumidifier.
Humidified air can make the nostrils less dry and prone to irritation and allergens.
However, humidifiers themselves can sometimes worsen allergens likemoldand dust mites.
Talk with your healthcare provider about whether a humidifier might help your allergies.
Take Over-the-Counter Medications
Taking over-the-counter medications to prevent seasonal allergies before they start is the best option.
Antihistamines
Antihistamineslike Claritin can be taken daily during allergy season to relieve symptoms.
Decongestants
Decongestants are medicines that help relieve a stuffy (congested) nose.
Most decongestants come in pill or liquid form.
Decongestants work by narrowing the blood vessels in your nose.
This allows the swollen tissue inside the nose to shrink, allowing air to pass through more easily.
It may take two weeks or more for your symptoms to improve.
Starting a corticosteroid spray at the beginning of pollen season will work best for decreasing symptoms during that season.
Others require a prescription.
Do not use tap water.
These treatments dont have much scientific support, but some people find them helpful.
They include exercising regularly and eating localhoney.
Talk with your healthcare provider before trying alternative treatments.
Research regarding vitamin use in allergic disease is inconclusive.
Maintaining good nutrition that includes critical vitamins and minerals is important for good health.
Specific supplements are not currently recommended.
Consider Acupuncture
It is thought that acupuncture may reduce inflammatory markers.
A 2015 evaluation of 13 studies involving 2,365 participants affirmed these results.
The study authors concluded that acupuncture for allergic rhinitis may be helpful.
Immunotherapy involves giving gradually increasing doses of the allergen that the person is allergic to.
Immunotherapy also reduces the inflammation associated with allergic rhinitis.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Summary
Seasonal allergies can happen in the summer, spring, or fall.
Lifestyle changes and medications can reduce your symptoms and improve your quality of life during allergy season.
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Medline Plus.Cromolyn sodium nasal solution.
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UCLA Health.Risks and rewards of nasal rinses: what you gotta know.
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