DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. This is based off my personal experience, and is not professional advice. I think everyone who experiences this can agree: pollen allergies are HORRIBLE. if you don't know what it's like, it's basically itchy eyes, runny nose, itchy eyes, sometimes coughing, itchy throat, itchy ears, and did I mention itchy eyes?! Here, I'll try to help you get through the allergy season and give some tips based off of my personal experience. I strongly recommend to read whole desc (including the notes and credits) for more info and understanding. 1. Don't rub your eyes. This will make it worse. Since when has, for example, itching a scab made it better? It's really hard to resist, I know, but if you are going to rub your eyes, you MUST make sure your hands are clean. Otherwise, you'll be letting pollen enter your system even more. 2. Stay clean and maintain good personal hygiene whenever you're outside, make sure to never touch your face or your eyes. Don't get too close to areas where there are a lot of fallen leaves, fresh cut grass, or large patches of flowers. When you get inside, be sure to wash your hands with soap and water, and, although it may not be ideal, it is helpful to change into a fresh set of clothes after coming back inside. You can also wear a hoodie or another protective piece of clothing while you're outside, then take it off once you're inside to prevent pollen on your skin and clothes. 3. Check the weather and pollen index in your area This is important. it lets you know how much pollen there can be in the air of your area. It can help you decide how to dress, and if you're going outside, if you need to do something extra to prevent really bad allergies. Treatments for specific symptoms: to soothe a sore throat - my dad used to always make me honey and butter toast when I was younger, in my first years of experiencing pollen allergies. This works best with locally sourced honey or raw honey (raw honey is actually so good in taste too) in general - non drowsy (or drowsy if you are about to go to bed), over-the-counter allergy medicine is what I usually take. Make sure you're taking the amount that's right for you- last year, I completely forgot that I was supposed to take two tablets because one wasn't working for me anymore and I suffered so bad TT. Make sure you ask your parents about this. Congestion - Flonase (nasal spray) helps treat allergy symptoms of sneezing, itchy/runny nose, congestion, and itchy/watery eyes. It mainly focuses on your sinuses, but it does also aid in treating other symptoms unrelated to your sinuses. Saline spray (just sterilized salty cleansing water) helps with flushing out the allergens, dust, and irritants. It also helps moisten dry nasal passages and to thin mucus. and for nighttime congestion, the Vicks vaporub is literally my life saver. it's like a Vaseline texture, and works like a cough drop in the sense that it has a minty sharp smell that helps you breath better and helps with congestion. you just rub in on your chest and under your nose, and wear loose clothing to make sure the fumes/smell can reach your nose. itchy/water eyes - the bane of my existence. but anyways, eye drops work great! you just squeeze some into your eye, and it really helps. it may be uncomfortable, and it takes a while to learn how to do it on yourself properly, but i think that it's worth it. I also use a cloth with cold water and lay it over my eyes at night. Okay, now my full routine that I do to prevent my allergies: In the morning - 1. allergy medicine 2. nasal spray + saline 3. eye drops 4. check pollen index During the school day, I can't really do much. Just make sure you're drinking water and have tissues nearby. Nighttime - 1. nasal spray + saline 2. Vicks vaporub (or something similar, idk what it would be called generically) 3. cloth with cold water TYSM for reading this, please lmk if it helped! Sorry that was really long.
More bg info: What causes allergies? Allergies happen when a substance (such as pollen) is around you (close enough that it enters your system) or is in your system (for example, if you eat a peach). Your immune system acts like it's dangerous and a risk to your health. You know how if you have strep or even a cold, you can get a sore throat? That's because your immune system is fighting the sickness, and those are some symptoms. Well, when your immune system is fighting an allergy, that same thing can happen. It's basically the same as being sick, except not for a good reason and, a key detail, it is not as heavy. Allergy attacks can happen, when it's all at once and is much more like being sick. Experiencing allergy symptoms for something all around you is going to happen until that something goes away. ------------------ First important thing to know: your immune system remembers last pollen season. my allergies have always been bad, but each year it began to stack. This year it's REALLY horrible. maybe the first time, your immune system has 1 or 2 soldiers to attack the pollen...next year it has a whole army prepared. Second: there are three main types of pollen allergies grass pollen, tree pollen, and ragweed pollen. "Wait, but doesn't pollen come from flowers?" Pollen applies to many plants! The most common pollen allergen is grass pollen. Now, what are the common allergy symptoms? Common allergy symptoms can include: - itchy eyes, ears, nose, and throat - coughing - sore throat - runny nose - congestion You may take allergy medicine, but there are a few key things that can really affect how bad your allergies are. This is where the tips start (sorry for the insanely long information section!).
