The following tips can help you rid your bedroom of dust mites—microscopic insects that live in dusty, humid environments. The feces and corpses of the mites are thought to be the irritating components in dust. Allergists believe that since we spend most of our time at home in the bedroom, that’s the most important place to allergy proof.

Encase pillows and mattresses. Invest in airtight, plastic or vinyl cases or special covers that are impermeable to allergens for your pillows and mattresses (except for water-beds). Pillows and mattresses contain fibrous material that is an ideal environment for dust-mite growth. These cases are usually available at your local department store or through mail-order companies. You can also contact the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America for more information on where to purchase cases and covers.

Read the rest of this entry »

read comments (0)

The following tips are designed to help reduce the discomfort caused by the most common allergies. They may be used in combination with an allergist’s treatment or, if your allergies are mild, by themselves.

Avoid the culprit. Sometimes, the best way to reduce the discomfort of an allergy is to avoid exposure to the allergen as much as possible. Take all practical measures. For example, if you are allergic to cats, avoid visiting the homes of friends who own them. If you must be around a cat, make the visit as short as possible and avoid touching or picking up the feline.

Rinse your eyes. If your eyes are itchy and irritated and you have no access to allergy medicine, rinsing your eyes with cool, clean water may help soothe them. Although not as effective as an antihistamine, this remedy certainly can’t do any damage.

Try a warm washcloth. If sinus passages feel congested and painful, a washcloth soaked in warm water may make things flow a little easier. Place the washcloth over the nose and upper-cheek area and relax for a few minutes.

Use saline solution. Irrigating the nose with saline solution may help soothe upper-respiratory allergies by removing irritants that become lodged in the nose, causing inflammation. The solution may also remove some of the inflammatory cells themselves.

Read the rest of this entry »

read comments (0)

Spring’s pollens. Summer’s smog. Autumn’s falling leaves. Winter’s house dust. For millions of Americans, each change of season brings its own brand of allergens and irritants. For people with common hay fever and allergies, these pollutants can bring on symptoms ranging from a continuous, annoying postnasal drip to a full-scale, coughing-sneezing-itchy-eyed allergy attack. For other allergy sufferers, such as those with allergic asthma or an allergy to bee stings, attacks can be fatal.

In many cases, allergy symptoms are difficult to differentiate from the symptoms of other disorders and illnesses, such as a cold, a deformity of the nose, or a food intolerance. For this reason, many doctors suggest that allergies be properly diagnosed by a board-certified allergist (a medical doctor who treats allergies) to avoid the self-administration of inappropriate medications or other remedies. Also, many allergy sufferers can benefit from today’s wide range of available treatments, such as new prescription antihistamines that don’t cause drowsiness, nasal corticosteroids, and allergy injections that can provide immunity to a specific allergen (an allergen is the name for any substance, such as pollen, that causes an allergic reaction). If you don’t go to the doctor, you may be missing out on a treatment that may be of great help to you.

Read the rest of this entry »

read comments (0)