Sneezing during pollen season or itchy eyes around your pet are just two examples of the many ways allergies can threaten to disrupt your quality of life. Untreated or chronic allergy symptoms can even lead to health complications in other systems throughout the body.
Allergies occur when your immune system overreacts to something called an allergen, typically something harmless like pollen, bee venom or pet dander that would normally not cause such reactions in most people – like pollen.
Know Your Triggers
Allergies can have a substantial effect on our lives, from restricting outdoor activities and sleep quality to interfering with work and school performance and even leading to a serious allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis.
Your immune system plays an essential role in managing allergies. Your body recognizes allergens as harmful substances such as pollen, pet dander, mold and dust mites and reacts accordingly by producing symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, itchiness or even hives.
As soon as your immune system detects something allergenic, it releases chemicals such as histamine in order to combat it. Histamine causes your nose, eyes and throat to itch while also leading to sneezing, wheezing and shortness of breath. Recognizing your allergy triggers and learning how to avoid them takes practice but is crucial.
One effective strategy to identify your triggers is keeping a symptom diary, which allows you to detect patterns. Noting when and what caused symptoms to arise as well as food consumed and skin treatments used can help identify what may worsen allergies. You could also consider allergy testing through skin prick or blood testing methods; speak to your physician or a clinical immunology/allergy specialist about which option would work best.
Change Your Clothes as Soon as You Notice Symptoms
Allergies trigger a reaction in the immune system when something that should not bother it does so – such as pollen or pet dander from animals with fur or feathers) is encountered, like pollen or pet dander (skin cells of animals with fur or feathers). Once encountered, antibodies are created against it which cause inflammation of the skin, sinuses and airways as well as digestive symptoms or anaphylaxis that requires immediate medical care.
However, allergic reactions can often be reversed with prompt action. It’s critical that clothes, shoes and accessories be changed as soon as you come indoors to wash away allergens that cling to them – this is especially important during allergy season when allergy season is at its height.
Thoroughly washing clothing, bedding and linens can also help prevent allergens from growing in your home. Mold and mildew thrive in damp fabrics that have not been dried properly.
Be mindful not to place stuffed animals in your child’s room as these may collect dust and allergens that could trigger an allergic reaction. Instead, choose vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters to remove allergens from furniture and walls in your home; washing all laundry on cold settings helps avoid setting off dust mites back into fabric fibers again.
Stay Indoors When Pollen Is High
When pollen counts are high, it’s wise to stay indoors as much as possible on windy days, including driving your car with its windows closed and using air conditioning to filter and cool the air in your home. Shower and change clothes as soon as you come inside; don’t hang sheets and laundry outdoors to dry.
Track your area’s pollen count; this information can usually be found online and reported in local news stories. Trees tend to produce the most pollen in springtime; grasses produce pollen in late spring/early summer while weeds produce pollen later in autumn – it is wise to avoid wooded areas, fields and lawns during these seasons for their high levels of allergens.
Whenever going outside, wear a mask with an allergy filter containing pollen-blockers; these help limit how much allergens you inhale. Tree pollen typically has the greatest negative impact, while grass and weed pollen might have no such side-effects.
Antihistamines and nasal sprays may help you prevent or lessen symptoms, so begin taking them well in advance of allergy season. For severe allergies, talk with your healthcare provider about immunotherapy or biologic treatments; such medications treat the causes rather than simply symptoms – providing significant relief but only few people can afford them; so be sure to ask what insurance coverage exists before making your decision.
See Your Healthcare Provider
If you are experiencing allergy symptoms, it’s essential that you discuss them with a healthcare provider immediately. They may ask when and what triggered them as well as any patterns in severity – for instance if pollen allergies seem worse during spring and after spending four hours working on your lawn; providing this information will help them diagnose what’s causing it.
Allergies occur due to an immune system response when it perceives something foreign as a potential threat. Once this has happened, antibodies produced by your immune system attach themselves to cells throughout the body and signal them to release chemicals such as histamines causing allergy symptoms.
Anxiety caused by allergies can be distressing, yet many treatments exist to provide relief. Allergists/immunologists specialize in diagnosing and treating allergies, asthma and other immune system conditions.
FARE offers resources and guidance for families living with food allergies at every stage in life – preschool and childcare settings, schools K-12, colleges/universities/workplaces as well as tips to stay safe when dining out socializing or traveling.
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