This past spring, New York City had an especially difficult allergy season due to the unprecedented amount of allergens in the air. As next year’s allergy season promises to be even more arduous, allergy sufferers should take steps to protect themselves from the coming onslaught of dust mites, pollution and plant and tree pollen.
Wear Sunglasses
Some 35 million people are afflicted by hay fever every year, in many cases because plant and tree pollen gets in their eyes. By wearing large dark sunglasses when outdoors, you can reduce the amount of pollen that gets into your system and consequently, the severity of your allergy symptoms.
Close Your Windows
During the spring and summer months, it’s a good idea for allergy sufferers to keep all of their windows shut tight and use an air conditioner to cool off. Doing so will block and filter out pollen and air pollutants that will aggravate your condition.
Drive with the Windows Up
Just as keeping your windows up will keep pollen and insect debris from getting into your home, driving with the windows up will keep your car free of allergens. Also, the first time you start-up your car after an extended period of inactivity, it’s a good idea to run the air conditioner on full blast while the windows are open to flush out any dust mites that have settled in.
Dust Regularly
Even with your doors firmly shut, your home can quickly be filled with allergens in the form of dust made up of dead skin cells and dirt particles that you let in every time you open your door. By thoroughly dusting your home on a regular basis, you can keep dust mites from irritating your condition.
Take More Showers
As you make your daily commute to and from work, you will be exposed to a wide variety of plant and tree pollen spores that will become lodged in your skin and hair. If you take a nice long shower or bath as soon as you return home, you will rid yourself of all those disruptive spores.
Leave Your Shoes at the Door
Over the course of your day, loads of microscopic allergens such as dust mites, pollen and insect debris will become trapped in the bottom of your shoes. By making it a house rule that no shoes can be worn inside the house, you’ll keep your allergen exposure to a minimum.
Wash Your Bedding Regularly
Over the course of a week, your sheets, pillow cases, blankets and comforters will become loaded down with dust mites. To avoid exacerbating your illness every time you lay down, wash all of your bedding in hot water on a weekly basis.
Control Your Home’s Humidity Level
As mold thrives in moist environments, it’s advisable to keep your home’s humidity level as low as possible. If you don’t have an air conditioner, a good humidifier can remove excess moisture from the air and keep your home mold free.
While all of these steps are good for minimizing your exposure to various allergens, they will not prevent potentially debilitating allergy attacks. If you are a chronic allergy sufferer, contact us today to set up an appointment with Dr. Shukla. He has the skills and experience to design an effective course of treatment for your illness.
