The best treatment for your allergies and preventing hay fever symptoms is avoidance. Medications can typically help manage symptoms, but have traditionally not been useful for long-term allergy management. The following are non-pharmacological ways to manage your allergies.
- Encase your mattress and pillows in dust mite-proof cases. Wash all your bedding in hot water at least once a week.
- Remove carpeting from your home and replace with easy to clean material such as hardwood or linoleum. If the wall-to-wall carpeting cannot be removed, vacuum and shampoo the carpet regularly.
- Use only washable window coverings such as cotton or synthetic curtains.
- Keep your windows closed during pollen season.
- Get rid of clutter by removing any knickknacks that sit on tables collecting dust.
- Invest in a HEPA air filtration system to remove small allergen particles from the air.
- Keep potted plants out of the house by planting them outside.
- Avoid using a wood-burning fireplace or stove. The smoke will worsen respiratory allergies.
- Wash the sink regularly and don’t let dishes pile up. This can create a breeding ground for mold.
- Wash or replace moldy shower curtains and bathmats.
- Dust mites and mold breed best in hot humid conditions. Keep your house at 68 F to 72 F.
- Don’t allow smoking inside your home.
- Avoid pets in your home. If you can’t do that, make sure to bathe them once a week and keep them out of your bedroom and off the furniture.
