According to a study published in the journal Primary Care in 2016, “In last 30 to 40 years there has been a significant increase in the incidence of allergy. This increase cannot be explained by genetic factors alone. Increasing air pollution and its interaction with biological allergens along with changing lifestyles are contributing factors.”
If you’re among the population who experiences allergies, you may be concerned about outdoor gatherings being a potential trigger for your symptoms. Fortunately, there are ways to minimize your exposure to allergy triggers during these events. We review how below.
Check Pollen Counts
Pollen levels vary from day to day and even hour to hour. Try to plan outdoor gatherings after a good rain when the pollen has been washed out of the air, and try to avoid doing them on sunny, windy days. In addition, you should try to do your outdoor activities earlier in the morning or later in the evening and avoid the hours between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. You can check your local forecast for more information about pollen counts.
Know Your Triggers
The best way to know what allergens are triggering your symptoms is to get an allergy test conducted by an expert allergist at Charleston ENT & Allergy. Usually, a skin prick test is used in order to uncover what exactly you’re allergic to. Once you know this information, you will know what to avoid. For example, if there’s a lot of a specific type of grass you’re allergic to at Southside Park in Mossy Oaks, you’ll know not to go there.
Shower & Change Clothes Right Away
After your outdoor event, the first thing you should do when you get home is take a shower, then change your clothes. Not only will this get the allergens off your body, but it will also help prevent allergens from infiltrating your home and causing more symptoms.
Groom Your Pets
Whether you brought your dog to the outdoor event or you simply let them out of the house every day to go potty, it’s important that you groom and bathe them regularly, again, to prevent allergens from being spread around your home. Note that you shouldn’t bathe pets more than once a week, or it could be bad for their skin.
For more information or to schedule an appointment with an expert allergist, call Charleston ENT & Allergy today.