Healthy Living

REAL HELP FOR HAY FEVER: PREVENTION

Hay fever is the common name for allergic rhinitis. It is caused when individuals sensitive to certain airborne allergens react to these allergens with symptoms such as itchy, teary eyes, runny nose, coughing and sometimes difficulty sleeping.

Hay fever is associated with tiny grains of pollen from trees, grasses and plants that become airborne and enter the nose and mouth, causing the reaction. Spring and fall are often the most active periods, but if you live in a climate that has trees and grasses blooming all year round, you may be plagued with symptoms more often. Interestingly, moving to a different climate does not seem to aid in eliminating allergies. Most people just develop new ones. Molds in moist or airless indoor areas of your home or work space can also create hay fever symptoms.

While not usually medically threatening, hay fever is unpleasant at best and can interfere with normal routines if not managed. Over-the-counter antihistamines can relieve symptoms, but take care as they can cause drowsiness. The best treatment for hay fever seems to be prevention. That is, avoiding contact with the allergens as much as possible.

During hay fever season in your climate, you should keep all windows closed and use air conditioning. Make sure people remove their shoes upon entering the home. If you must spend time outdoors, remove your clothing upon returning home and launder it as soon as possible. Pets can bring in allergens on their coats, too, so you’ll need to wipe them down with a damp cloth when they come back indoors.

One of the most significant steps you can take to remove indoor allergens is investing in a central vacuum system. A central vacuum system is different from a regular vacuum cleaner in that it virtually eliminates the particles of dust, dirt and pollen from your home by carrying them through a system of a powerful hose connected to behind-the-wall tubes into a compartment completely separate from your living space, such as in a basement or garage. Many traditional vacuum cleaners re-circulate a certain amount of those particles back into the air. In fact, that familiar “just vacuumed” smell is actually the odor of re-circulated dust and pollen, with the result of actually aggravating hay fever instead of relieving it.

Many people are surprised at how simple it is to have a central vacuum system installed in their existing home. Installation is done only by trained and certified technicians and can be completed in less than a day, with little disruption and mess. For more information, go to www.vacuflo.com. Your nose will thank you again and again!

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