- Go to www.allergyandasthmarelief.org to take a allergy relief self test, learn more about allergy testing and treatment and to find an allergist in your home town. The allergy season this spring is expected to occur about 14 days earlier in many areas of the US! It is expected to last up to 30 days longer, leaving more pollen around to cause a variety of allergy symptoms.
- BE A STAR! Wear oversized sunglasses to block airborne pollens and molds from entering your eyes and lids that will cause redness, red and water eyes.
- WEAR A HAT! Preferably a wide brimmed one.
- STAY AWAY FROM THE LINE. Avoid line drying of clothing (particularly bed linens, etc) on a high pollen day outdoors.
- BEAT THE CLOCK. Consider exercising indoors on very high pollen days (especially if you are sensitive to seasonal pollens present in the air). Pollen levels may be highest during mid-day and afternoon. Higher levels of pollens are usually found on warm, dry and windy days and lower levels of seasonal pollens on windless, wet and cloudy days.
- KNOW YOUR POLLEN COUNT. POLLEN LEVELS highest on windy, dry and sunny days.
- GET YOUR SEASONAL ALLERGIES CONFIRMED!
Simple in office allergy tests can pinpoint your problem.
- START EARLY WITH ALLERGY TREATMENT: Many medications will work better (nasal antihistamines/steroids, oral antihistamines and eye drops) if you start them even before symptoms begin in many cases.
- SHOOT AWAY! Allergy injections (shots) are only immune based therapy we have that will actually reduce and slow down “allergic disease” progression. It will provide excellent long term relief, in over 85% of patients.
- SPICE IT UP! Try a chili/cayenne pepper based natural nasal spray for pesky allergy symptoms.
- DO THE WASH CYCLE or WASH WISELY. Shampoo and shower nightly to rinse the pollens from your skin and hair. Change your clothing before entering your bedroom to reduce pollens from being brought into your bedroom.
- EYELID HYGIENE. Gently irrigate your eyelids (while your eyes are closed) with a mild, tear free “baby” shampoo to remove excess allergens and pollutants which may have accumulated. Check with your provider before (especially if you wear contact lenses or have other eye problems) to learn whether anti-allergy eye and/or moisturizing drops may also be helpful.
- CLEAN THE AIR. At home or when driving, keep windows closed and set air conditioner on “re-circulate” to keep out the pollens. Clean filters in room air conditioners frequently during the “pollen” season to get best efficiency. Avoid fans that suck in outdoor pollens into your living space, at home.
- AVOID CROSS-REACTIONS. As many as one in three seasonal allergy sufferers may experience “oral allergy syndrome” (tingling of the mouth or itchy throat) after ingesting foods (fresh fruits: apple, pear, carrot, celery, peach, cherry, as well as almond and hazelnut) if you have seasonal tree pollen allergies due to a cross-reaction between the proteins in these fruits and the pollens.
CROSS-REACTIVITIES OF
POLLEN ALLERGENS AND FOODS
“ORAL ALLERGY SYNDROME”
- About ONE THIRD TO ONE HALF of patients with seasonal allergies show sensitivity to:
However, it should be noted that reaction to one or more foods in any given category does not necessarily mean a person is allergic to all foods in that group. Often well-cooked, canned, or frozen food offenders cause no reaction.
Allergy trigger |
Cross reactors |
Alder tree pollen |
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Birch tree pollen |
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Grass pollens |
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Mugwort and weed pollens |
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