POLLEN COUNT
Allergic reactions are an ordeal dreaded by many people, specifically by those who have experienced how debilitating, and even life-threatening, they can be—the allergy sufferers themselves.
If you’re living with allergies, it is natural to want to know how to keep the symptoms from interfering with your quality of life and avoid allergic reactions or flare-ups altogether. Here are two simple tips to help you effectively keep allergic reactions at bay.
Tip #1 Trigger avoidance is key.
A fool-proof way to prevent allergic reactions is to avoid the very thing that triggers them. However, this is not always easy. The best thing you can do when you cannot avoid an allergen is to try to minimize your contact with it.
If you are allergic to pollen or have seasonal allergies, the higher the pollen count, the more likely it is that you’ll experience an allergic reaction. Make sure to check the pollen count before heading out. When it’s high, take an antihistamine beforehand; wear a mask that filters out allergens; wear long sleeves and pants; and wear a knit beanie, cap, or a scarf to limit the surface area exposed to allergens. When you get home, take off your shoes, remove your clothes, and take a shower right away.
If you have food allergies, make sure to painstakingly read the food labels. To identify allergens on food labels, check the name of the food source of a major food allergen. It usually appears in parentheses after the name of the ingredient in a “contains” statement (i.e., “contains wheat and soy”).
If you have a stinging insect allergy, know which specific insects sting and stay away from their nests as much as possible. Bees, fire ants, hornets, and wasps are some of the most common insects that cause allergic reactions when they sting or bite. It also helps to avoid wearing brightly colored clothes as well as perfumes, scented cosmetics, and deodorants; stay away from outdoor garbage; and wear long sleeves, pants, and closed shoes when heading to places where they potentially build their nests.
Tip #2 Work closely with an allergy doctor.
There are allergy treatments that are designed to prevent allergic reactions. Oral immunotherapy, for example, involves exposing you to small amounts of the allergen every day, until your body gradually becomes desensitized to it and no longer launches an immune response in the event of an exposure. However, just like any other type of medical treatment, this may not be suitable for everyone. The only way to find out if you could benefit from it is to see an allergy doctor, who can carry out a thorough assessment and determine whether it’s the appropriate treatment for you.
Allergy Doctor in Downers Grove, Naperville, Elmhurst, and Plainfield, IL
At Oak Brook Allergists, our board-certified allergy doctors are best known for not only their expertise but also for their unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional treatment outcomes for all types of allergies. Through the comprehensive, personalized treatments we offer, we have helped countless patients in Illinois live well with—and even conquer — their allergies.
To schedule an appointment with one of our allergists, call us at (630) 574-0460 or use our online request form.
