Figuring out whether you are one of the millions of adults who suffer from airborne allergies can be confusing. Many symptoms present the same as those of a common cold. And this article is not meant to substitute for a professional opinion from a medical professional. Becoming more aware of the following 4 patterns of symptoms will bring you closer to a diagnosis.
When-A sensitivity to airborne allergens can result in runny nose, itchy and watery eyes, coughing, sneezing and/or congestion. These are all attempts by the body to flush out what it sees as a harmful substance in the body. Writing down when these symptoms occur will help you establish a pattern.
Look for an annual increase in symptoms during the same time of year. Spring is the most notorious for airborne allergens, but summer brings grass pollens, and fall brings weed pollen. Many people are allergic to some combination or all of them, and noting a rise in chronic and prolonged symptoms during any or all of these times is important information to have.
How Long---One of the most tale-tell symptoms of an allergy is that once the allergen is removed the symptoms subside. So if you have relatively short episodes that come and go, there is more of a chance that you have sensitivity to an airborne allergen rather than a cold. Cold symptoms usually last 7 to 10 days regardless of where you are and then they're gone.
What Helps---Antihistamines help both colds and allergies, but noting how long you feel you need to take them can be a big indicator. Feeling that you need to take them every day for several weeks or a month and then not needing them all of a sudden can be an indication that a seasonal allergen is triggering symptoms. And once the allergen subsides, so do the symptoms.
Where---Notice where you are when your symptoms are at their worse. If you are outdoors chances are that you are sensitive to something in bloom. Do a little research to find out what blooms during the times you are most sensitive, and then take a look around where you live. Just remember that if you are allergic to pollen from flowers, grass, or weeds that these small, light-weight grains can travel hundreds of miles from where they originate. So even though you don't see what you suspect is causing the problem, the pollen is most probably still in the air.
If you are indoors, or in a certain room indoors when your symptoms flare this can be good and bad news. Indoor allergens such as dust, dust mites, mold and mildew spores are always present, even in the cleanest of homes. But filtering the air with a high efficiency particle arresting (or HEPA) air purifier can minimize your symptoms by keeping the number of airborne allergens low.
If you have a pet and your symptoms increase as you spend time with it, a HEPA purifier can help reduce the dander, dust, hair, feather and other particles as well.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.massagebyben.com/articles/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites 