As beautiful as spring is, it’s peak allergy season for millions of Americans every year. Pollen is everywhere, which causes our immune systems to overreact.

If you’re totally over dealing with allergy symptoms, how can you get some relief? Our AFC Urgent Care Fountain City team shares some helpful info below, so keep reading.

What Causes Allergies in the Spring?

Seasonal allergies happen when the immune system encounters something in the air that it regards as a threat. It then produces histamines to defend your body, resulting in nasal, throat and chest irritation or congestion.

Pollen is the most prevalent cause of seasonal allergies. Because it’s light and dry, it can travel long distances and produce long-term allergy symptoms. If there is a high pollen count in your area, you’re more likely to have increased allergy symptoms, so try to spend more time indoors if pollen is aggravating the symptoms listed below.

Common Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

• Itchy, watery or red eyes
• Circles under eyes
• Itchy mouth, nose or throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Drainage from the nose down the back of the throat (postnasal drip)
• Temporary loss of smell
• Headache
• Sneezing

What Can I Do to Keep My Allergy Symptoms at Bay?

Like we said earlier, one of the best and easiest ways to reduce your allergy symptoms is to limit your exposure to your allergy triggers, such as pollen. You can do this by spending less time outdoors when the pollen count is high and changing clothes and showering soon after you come inside.

Additionally, over-the-counter antihistamines and other medications exist to help you quell your allergy symptoms. We’ve listed some more easy ways to combat allergies so you can enjoy the beautiful spring weather below.

Ways to Reduce Spring Allergy Symptoms

• If you are dealing with lots of congestion, consider rinsing your sinuses with saline solution. This will flush out mucus and allergens from your nose.
• Keep indoor air clean. You can do this by using a dehumidifier and vacuuming regularly. This will reduce the amount of harmful allergens that make their way inside the home. Running your air-conditioner also helps.
• Know when to take your allergy medicines. If you typically experience bad allergies around the same time each year, start taking your nose sprays or OTC antihistamines about two weeks before allergy season starts, then keep taking them regularly throughout your allergy season.

If you still can’t find allergy relief, we can help. Don’t hesitate to visit our AFC team today—we’re open seven days a week!