50 million people suffer from allergies each year in the United States, according to the College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.  Managing allergies is not a small task, and to do a great job requires being proactive versus reactive once an allergy triggers a reaction.  Here are five tips in surviving allergies.

Know Your Symptoms

To remain proactive, you first have to identify what triggers your allergies.  The range can be significant depending on the severity; However, it is important not to dismiss some of these symptoms as ‘the sniffles.’

• Runny Nose
• Itchy Eyes
• Sore Throat
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Skin Rash

Keep Allergens Outside

The first step is to keep allergens outside your home.  Walking to your mailbox or walking the dog is a sure way for those annoying allergens to sneak right into your house.  They attach to your hair and get into your pet’s fur.  So, if you have to be outside for any length of time, make sure you wash your face and change your clothes immediately and when time permits, shower and wash your hair.   Wipe your pet down before you go inside the house.

Make Your Home a Sanctuary

We all want comfort in our homes.  Relax, read, or enjoy a great show and spend time with family.  That is hard to do if you feel lousy.  There are things that you can do inside your home to keep your allergen defense up.  Refrain from using a ceiling fan, especially at night when you are sleeping.  Clean your blinds and avoid hanging curtains for window coverings.  If you love carpet, you may have to admire it somewhere other than your home.  Carpet traps dust, mites, and allergens, and no matter how often you vacuum, it is impossible to rid your carpet of allergens 100 percent.

Antihistamines

It is best practice to take your antihistamines weeks before the allergy season begins.  Depending on where you live, and your unique allergies will be the factors you need to consider when deciding when to start and which medications are best for you.  Sites you can check when and what is pollinating in your local area.  If over-the-counter medications aren’t helping, it is essential to check in with your doctor to find if a prescription would be better.

Medicine for Your Nose

There is a lot to choose from for nose sprays to curtail the allergens getting into your nasal lining that creates inflammation.  If your sinuses are suffering, there are sprays that help.  The best ones contain Astelin, Astepro, and Patanase.  These will help with congestion and are less likely to cause drowsiness.  The medications that have these ingredients are by prescription only, so you will need to contact your doctor for an appointment.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C gets a lot of attention for its benefits.  This can’t be over-emphasized for allergies.  Vitamin C helps your adrenal glands by fighting the inflammation caused by histamine in the body.  Make sure you are taking your multivitamin and take an additional vitamin C supplement.