Coping with allergies

While allergic rhinitis can occur year round, it is mostly a problem during the spring and fall. There is no cure and no way to completely escape the allergens that trigger allergic rhinitis, but there are things you can do to better help yourself.

For one, you can take an antihistamine as prescribed by your doctor. Antihistamines are the most commonly used medicines for treating allergies. They work by blocking the chemical reaction your body goes through in response to allergens.

Other than taking Allegra-D^®, there are a variety of things you can do to live life, outdoors, more easily. One way is to avoid as many allergens as possible. You can’t possibly avoid all triggers completely, but there are ways to significantly reduce your exposure and chances of suffering an allergy attack.

• Always check the daily pollen counts so you’ll know when the pollen outside is particularly high and likely to trigger an attack
• Keep the windows of your house and car closed; if possible, use air conditioning when needed
• Use a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter or an electrostatic precipitator. They may help clean pollen and mold from the indoor air
• Never hang laundry outdoors; this will prevent it from collecting airborne pollen
• Take a shower and wash clothes after being outdoors to remove any pollen
• Try to stay indoors on days when pollen counts are reported to be high—especially on windy days, when more pollen is carried through the air
• When you do go out, plan to do so later in the day; pollen counts are higher in the morning
• Wash all bedding every 7 to 14 days