Tips for Treating Seasonal Allergies

Does spring pollen makes your nose run and your eyes turn red? Or maybe fall hay fever season is your worst time of the year? For others, various triggers keep you sneezing or congested year-round.

If your seasonal allergies make you miserable, a trip to the doctor to see about allergy testing may be in order. Your doctor may recommend a nasal spray or oral medications or both. Or, he may refer you for ongoing immunotherapy shots as a long-term cure.

For those who aren't taking medications --or those who have persistent symptoms despite being on medication --here are some practical tips for treating seasonal allergies.

1. Know your triggers. You don't have to get tested officially for specific pollens and other irritants to know if spring, mid-summer or fall is your worst time of year. Keeping track of when your symptoms get worse can help you get an idea of what triggers are in season. You can find helpful maps of common allergy triggers in your area at the Weather Channel Web site. If you do poorly in spring, you may be allergic to tree pollen. In mid-summer, you may be experiencing an allergy to grasses. Allergies that flare in late September and early October might mean a ragweed allergy, while a runny nose in November might indicate an allergy to leaf mold.

2. Avoid your triggers. Sometimes this is easier said than done, but several practical steps will help. Run the air conditioning in your home instead of airing out with open windows. Dry your clothing in a clothes dryer instead of line drying. If you know that cutting the grass makes your allergies flare, try bargaining with a neighbor; if he mows your lawn, you will do a chore for him.

3. If you can't avoid triggers, don't bring them inside with you. If you must do outdoor work in a place where you'll be exposed to pollen or other triggers, make sure to shower and wash your hair afterward, or you'll just bring your allergy triggers inside with you. Install a mat near the door and wipe your shoes or take your shoes off near the door, to avoid tracking outdoor materials inside. Cleaning carpets and bedding frequently will minimize how much exposure you have to seasonal allergy triggers as well.

4. Try home remedies. Some herbal or home remedies that work for some (but not all) include tinctures or capsules of eyebright or goldenseal, chamomile tea (especially for hay fever) and eating local honey. The theory behind eating local honey is that the bits of pollen in the honey will inoculate you against the most commonly found pollens in your area. Allergy experts from the Mayo Clinic recommend another simple home remedy that works for many: cleansing your sinuses with saline solution. This can be done either with a neti pot or using a bulb and syringe with a mild saline solution to clean pollen, dust and mold spores out of your nasal passages.