Don't Let Allergies Ruin Your Spring: A Guide to Management

“Spring is in the air,” is meant to be an optimistic statement, but for people with seasonal allergies, it’s a warning.

Spring allergies are incredibly common and affect about a quarter of adults in the United States, in addition to slightly more than 20% of kids. 

If you or a family member figures among these numbers, our skilled team of primary care providers at Midwest Regional Health Services wants to share some important management practices. With a little preparation, you, too, can welcome spring with open arms.

Get your spring allergy toolkit in order

Your first order of business is to make sure you have a good spring allergy toolkit at the ready. From antihistamines and nasal sprays to neti pots and decongestants, these workhorses can really help you successfully navigate allergic rhinitis, which is the medical term for spring allergies or hay fever.

To make sure you have everything you need, it’s an excellent idea to come see so that we can help you create the right toolkit for your unique situation.

Manage your triggers

Most spring allergies are due to pollen, which flies around in the air during spring. With that in mind, it’s critical to manage your exposure to pollen.

For starters, it’s important to track pollen counts, which you can find here. So, on high pollen days, which are usually dry, warm, and breezy days, you might want to reschedule an outdoor picnic.

When you do head out of the house, wear glasses to protect your eyes. And you might consider a hat so that pollen doesn’t get trapped in your hair.

Protect the home front

While you don’t have much control over the great outdoors, you do have some in your own home. To create a protected space in your home, we suggest:

• Keeping windows closed on breezy days
• Wiping pets before they come in
• Changing your clothes when you get home
• Laundering any clothes you wear outside
• Showering when you get home

We also highly recommend outfitting your house with an air filter that can clean your environment of pollen. To get you started, here’s a good list of appropriate HEPA air filters.

Consider immunotherapy

Many spring allergy sufferers have found success in allergy immunotherapy. In fact, between 80% and 90% of people who try this approach experience some degree of relief.

With immunotherapy, small amounts of the allergen (for example, pollen) are introduced into your body over time. The goal is to help your body’s immune system build better tolerance of the allergen and not overreact, which is what an allergic reaction really is.

As you can see, you’re not without some great tools and strategies for helping you and your family to navigate spring allergies with relative ease.

For a more personalized spring allergy management plan, we urge you to come in and sit down with one of our allergy specialists. To set that in motion, you can contact us at 402-745-1145 to schedule an appointment at our offices in Omaha or Gretna, Nebraska, today.