Spring and Summer Allergies

Spring is officially here, which to many of us means relief from cold temperatures and the illnesses that accompany it.  Time to toss the cold medicine, cough drops, and kleenex into storage for next year.  Unfortunately, while free of colds, many of us will have to deal with the major health threat that warmer weather brings – allergies. 

Allergies can be particularly difficult for asthma sufferers, both children and adults, so it is important to make sure you have the proper treatments and preventative help on hand at all times during allergy season to prevent asthma attacks.

Here are some tips from NetWelness (netwellness.org) for surviving the spring and summer allergy seasons:

• Wear a pollen mask when outdoors for a long period of time. (A half-hour or more.)
• Keep doors and windows buttoned up during heavy pollen counts; and turn the air-conditioner to “recirculate.”
• Change or clean air-conditioner filters at least monthly.
• If using a room air-conditioner, keep it off when no one is at home. Once it is turned on, keep the room vacated for at least thirty minutes as some window units emit short bursts of mold when they are first activated.
• Stay out of fields of corn, grain and soybeans – places where ragweed loves to grow.
• Avoid high diving. The pressure changes that come with diving into water can aggravate ears that “pop” and/or are plugged due to the symptoms caused by allergens.
• Be proactive. Prevent autumn, winter indoor allergens by lowering indoor humidity in the summer months (with the help of a dehumidifier or air-conditioner). Dust mites depend on a high humidity summer for their autumn population explosion.

If all else fails, there are a number of over-the-counter allergy medicines that will help you survive allergy season (if only to be tossed cruelly back into cold season)!