Combating Seasonal [and Other] Allergies Like a Pro

When allergy season rolls around, don’t get caught unprepared. These tips will leave you feeling fine come allergy time.

Get Tested
Allergies affect 50 million people in the United Sates, according to the ACAAI, while WebMD states that seasonal allergies alone affect 35 million. In short, many people have them…. yet never know because they never test for them. The best way to identify allergies is to see an allergist or immunologist, who can perform fast, non-invasive tests and offer various treatment options. Even if you’ve already had an allergy test, get another later on, as new allergies can pop up over time, while older ones subside or vanish.

Know the Symptoms
While you should get tested regardless of whether symptoms are evident, being able to spot the signs always helps. While some symptoms are similar to a cold or flu, such as sneezing, redness and a runny nose, the big difference is that allergies typically do not cause fever (making the term “hay fever” somewhat inaccurate). Also pay attention to your breathing, as shortness of breath may be the result of allergic asthma.

Avoid Allergens
Once you know what you’re allergic to, stay away from it. Let people know what sets your allergies off to so they don’t accidentally bring you a plant or other item that makes you sick. If dust is an allergen for you, make sure to keep your most frequented spaces clean.

Get Treatment
After testing, your allergist will likely prescribe medication that should make your body more resistant to allergy triggers, including inhalers, pills, nasal sprays and creams for skin irritation. Alternately, your doctor may instead recommend immunotherapy, which strengthens your immune system over allergies (e.g. through weekly shots). Some more holistic treatment centers buy advanced allergy therapeutics software to help identify which organs are directly affected by your allergies and use acupressure to treat them, but research Advanced Allergy Therapeutics carefully before committing, as its legitimacy is hotly debated.

With a little planning, allergy season can roll by almost as smoothly as any other season.