If you suffer from allergies, you're not alone. More than 45 million Americans deal with seasonal allergies. This year has been especially bad, leaving many looking for answers on how best to manage.
According to Clifford Bassett, MD, AAFA Medical-Scientific Council Subcommittee Chair, we can blame our immune systems. They help us 99 percent of the time, but one percent of the time they incorrectly identify harmless allergens as threats.
"If you have allergies upon exposure to an allergen, such as tree, grass and weed pollen, your immune system incorrectly believes the pollen is an invader," said Clifford. "It then overreacts by producing IgE antibodies which ultimately act in releasing certain chemicals such as histamine, responsible for countless unpleasant symptoms such as watery eyes, itchy throat, sneezing and nasal congestion."
To fight off winter allergies, there are a few things you can do:
1. Understand triggers: Make a list of things that trigger your allergy symptoms. Are they pets? Leaves? Dusty rooms? Or, how about rainy days? If these tend to make you sneeze or cough, make sure to avoid them.
2. Stay aware of allergen forecasts: If the pollen count is high one day, try to stay inside as much as possible.
3. Visit a doctor: It's important to get allergy shots and, if necessary, take medicine to manage symptoms.
4. Defend your home: Make sure your HVAC system's filters are clean and use dehumidifiers and humidifiers where necessary.
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