In America, a majority of our time is spent outdoors and over half of the population has allergies! These numbers are astonishing. If you do suffer from allergies, you’re already aware of how hard it is to cope with symptoms. The following article will offer helpful advice on how to get the most out of life, despite suffering with allergies.

For safety’s sake, remember to use over-the-counter antihistamine when you are at home. A lot of them can cause you to be very sleepy and slow your reflexes. Even if the packaging does not contain a warning, when you take the first couple of doses, do it during a time that you are able to stay home and see how it makes you feel.

Wherever possible, use something other than carpeting and rugs as floor coverings in your home. Carpet is not easy to clean and impossible to clean completely. The fibers of the carpet hold onto dust, pollen, mites, dander, and other allergens. Try to install flooring that be swept and mopped.

Dust Mites

Dust mites are mostly likely in your home. They live in pillows and mattresses. That’s gross! To fend off these undesirables, hide your bedding in protective, zippered covers. Be sure to wash your bedding weekly in hot water to kill off dust mites.

You should consider replacing your carpeting if you have allergies. Pollen and dust tends to gather on carpets. If you have carpeting that is wall-to-wall, you may wish to switch to laminate, tile or wood floors. Changing to any of these materials can cause significant improvements in the cleanliness of the air in your home. If you can’t replace your carpet, be sure to use a vacuum cleaner every day.

A good way to alleviate bronchial symptoms is to maintain proper hydration. The mucosal membranes will often show signs of dryness or inflammation when deprived of fluids. Lack of sufficient hydration also affects the bronchial tubes by causing your mucosal glands to produce secretions that are difficult to break-up.

If your child has food allergies, pack safe foods when traveling. Sometimes, certain foods will contain foods that often cause allergic symptoms, such as nuts or soy.

Be mindful of your stress level. You may not know that stress can affect how your body reacts to allergens. For people who have asthma, this is especially true. Asthma attacks are more likely in those experiencing increased stress levels. Reductions in stress can alleviate the severity and length of attacks.

If you want to steer clear of a common source of allergens, make sure to clean your car regularly and keep it sealed. Keeping all the vents closed and turning on the air conditioner will help to keep pollen as well as other types of allergens out of the vehicle. Regular use of a vacuum will keep your vehicle’s seats clean and dust free. This can lessen your allergy problems.

If you are currently taking allergy medication, regardless of what kind it is, you should make sure you go visit a medical professional. By doing so they can determine whether the medication you are thinking of taking will be adequate for your symptoms, or whether an alternative is required.

Switch to pillows made from synthetic materials instead of feathers. Most dust mites prefer the natural material, so your synthetic pillow should be relatively safe. You have to wash them to get rid of allergens, but they are healthier to sleep with.

If you’ve been outside for about an hour, you may be carrying airborne allergens. As soon as possible, take a warm shower, or at least immediately before for bed. Water will eliminate pollen, mold, and other irritants from your body. Allergens can settle on your skin or in your hair.

Don’t be shocked if your allergy test reveals you are allergic to different things. Lots of people come in contact with allergens every day, but they don’t necessarily develop allergic reactions to them. With the exception of very serious cases, there are allergies that can remain undiagnosed for long periods of time because no symptoms ever emerge.

Allergies that cause an excess of drainage can leave you with a sore throat. Try gargling salt water. Simply combine a teaspoon of table salt and a half a cup of warm tap water. Take a mouthful and swish it through your teeth. Tilt your head back and allow the saltwater to clean your throat. This offers relief from soreness in a matter of moments.

Be sure that your surroundings are as clean as they can be. You will remove allergens from your home by a thorough cleaning. Clean up your surroundings as often as possible.

Get yourself a humidifier. This investment will pay dividends as your allergy suffering decreases. The water mist from the humidifier attracts the allergens and stops them from floating around. Therefore, you won’t inhale dust and other allergens that are lingering in the air.

If you suffer from seasonal allergies and you’ve been outdoors, wash up and change your clothing when you get home. The cleaner you are, the less likely you are to have to suffer with different allergens out there.

The number of people out there who are suffering from allergies is huge, and unfortunately many of them have simply resigned themselves to their fate. This article should have provided some tips on dealing with allergies associated with pet dander, pollen or foodstuffs.