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By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
(Health Day)
SUNDAY, April 16, 2023 (HealthDay News) — It may be hard to believe you’re looking for yet another fabric, but you don’t have to suffer from the itchy eyes and stuffy nose that seasonal allergies bring.
According to an allergy expert, a few simple steps can make a big difference.
“Predisposition combined with westernized changes in life and diet and overuse of antibiotics is what probably helps determine our chances of getting allergies,” said Dr. Timothy Craigdirector of clinical research in allergies, immunology, and respiration at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey.
Many variables can make someone allergic, Craig noted.
“It’s not like some diseases that are based on just one gene,” he said in a press release from the center. “It’s definitely multiple genes combined with environmental exposures.”
A family history of allergies, atopic dermatitis, and asthma can predispose a person to suffer from allergies. Overall health, lack of exercise, obesity, and poor diet also affect symptoms.
Early exposure to second-hand smoke and air pollution can also make a person susceptible to allergies.
The hygiene hypothesis is another consideration, suggesting that being too clean has led to poor immune system development and lower tolerance to allergy triggers.
Diet, exercise, and exposures all contribute to the growth of bacteria that colonize a person’s skin, respiratory tract, and gastrointestinal system. These colonies are called microbiomes, and certain microbiomes make a person more likely to develop allergies, according to Penn State Health.
There are several ways to reduce your allergy symptoms:
- Take a shower at the end of the day to remove pollen from your hair and body.
- Wash clothes worn outside before wearing them again.
- Rinse your nose with a saline solution before bed to remove debris.
- Use over-the-counter topical nasal steroids regularly for best results. Low-sedation antihistamines also work well, but are not as effective as nasal steroids.
- Over-the-counter antihistamine eye drops may also help.
If you are still in pain, see your doctor. You may be able to start desensitizing yourself to the allergy with injections or tablets.
Healthy eating, exercise and sleep can help you feel better and may even decrease some allergy symptoms, Craig said.
Avoid outdoor activities in the late afternoon when winds generally pick up and disperse more pollen.
SOURCE: Penn State Health, press release, April 13, 2023
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