Avoid Summer Allergies With These Tricks

Spring is here, and summer is right around the corner. While most people look forward to summer for the longer days, warmer weather, and outdoor activities, people with summer allergies sometimes dread it.

But you don’t have to spend your entire summer coughing, sneezing, and feeling miserable if you take action and plan ahead. 

At Pro-Health Urgent Care of Midland in Midland, Michigan, our team of specialists treat a fair number of allergy sufferers every summer at our urgent care clinic. We want you to enjoy the season, so we’re sharing some tips and tricks that may help you avoid your summer allergies.

What causes summer allergies?

Most people think spring is allergy season. But allergies occur anytime of year, depending on what triggers the allergic reaction. Grass pollen is the most common culprit behind summer allergies. 

If you have a runny nose, itchy eyes, and scratchy throat during summer, grass pollen is likely the cause of your symptoms. But the only way to know for sure is to get an allergy test.

Allergies are an overreaction of the immune system. Summer allergies are seasonal allergies, also called hay fever or allergic rhinitis. 

Seasonal allergies are airborne, affecting the respiratory system. When you breathe in the allergen, your immune system treats it like a foreign invader that’s harmful to your health, releasing immune chemicals in an effort to protect you. These chemicals trigger allergy symptoms.

The severity of your symptoms indicate how much of a threat your immune system perceives the allergen to be. The more serious your symptoms, the bigger the threat.

Tricks to avoid summer allergies

Because seasonal allergies are airborne, there’s not much you can do to avoid them altogether. However, you can take steps to minimize contact with the allergens, therefore minimizing your symptoms.

• Close your windows to keep pollen out of the house 
• Stay inside when pollen counts are high (such as on warmer, sunny days)
• Have someone else mow your lawn
• Take a shower immediately after spending time outside
• Use a saline nasal wash to remove allergens from your nose
• Dry your clothes indoors

You don’t have to stay inside all summer long to avoid your allergies. Plan activities for when pollen counts are low, usually late morning until sunset. Rainy and cloudy days also tend to have lower pollen counts, making them better days for outside activities.

Treatment for allergy symptoms

No matter how hard you try to avoid your allergens, you may not succeed 100% of the time. 

When your allergy symptoms flare up, you may want to consider taking over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medications. These drugs contain antihistamines, providing relief from the sneezing, itching, and watery eyes. OTC decongestants and cough medications also help with symptoms. 

If these medications fail to improve your allergies symptoms, talk to your doctor about prescription medications such as corticosteroid nasal sprays or prescription-strength antihistamine.

If your allergies are severe and you can’t get an appointment with your usual doctor, it’s time to come in and see us. We can evaluate your symptoms and make recommendations to help you get relief.

Don’t let your summer allergies keep you from enjoying the season. Take steps now so you’re fully prepared. For immediate help for your allergies, call Pro-Health Urgent Care of Midland today or book an appointment online.