Those Pesky Allergies: What to Do? More Health Resource Articles
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As the weather warms, trees come to life and flowers bloom. Life is good, but not if you're one of the more than 35 million people in the United States who suffer from hay fever or allergies! Symptoms can be mild or severe but–let's face it–you're not exactly feeling your personal best.

A sneezy, runny nose can be distracting. Nasal congestion causing loss of taste or smell can keep you from enjoying meals. Constant throat–clearing due to postnasal drip can be socially unnerving. Itchy eyes, throat and ears mean pure torment. What to do?

Fortunately, you can take action! The first line of defense is to identify the causative agents. Responsible allergens can include tree, grass or weed pollen, animal dander, dust or dust mites, and even various molds. Undergoing allergy testing can help identify the culprits.

Environmental Control
First, you should try to avoid–or at least minimize–your exposure to the offending allergens. Many of the following measures can be helpful, depending on the allergen(s) responsible.

For pollen allergy:

• Keep your windows tightly closed.
• Use air–conditioning to filter out pollen from incoming air.
• Have the air–conditioning filter changed often (preferably not by the allergy sufferer).
• Wash your hair at night to reduce the amount of pollen brought into the bedroom and on your pillow, where you might inhale it while you sleep.
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