EXPERT TIPS TO MANAGE SPRING ALLERGIES

Spring is in the air – and so are allergens. Here’s what you need to know to help with the itchy eyes, the runny nose and other symptoms that suck the joy out of the run-up to summer…

They call it allergic rhinitis. It’s an inflammation inside the nose caused by an allergen, such as some kinds of pollen, dust, mould or flakes of skin from certain animals.

It really gets up your nose. Your immune system thinks the pollen is a danger and releases its soldiers, the antibodies. That releases histamines in the blood that cause runny nose, red or itchy eyes, post-nasal drip, sneezing and sometimes coughing, wheezing or strained breathing. For people with asthma, it makes everything worse.

Allergic rhinitis makes up to 60 percent of people feel tired all day, according to a study. More research has shown it makes some depressed, grumpy or miserable. It can also make you think and react slower.

Related article: All about asthma: causes, symptoms & treatment

DON’T BLAME THE FLOWERS
Pollen doesn’t just appear in spring and most of it doesn’t come from those bright flowers popping up everywhere. The kind carried by the wind is the problem. They usually are from small plants such as grasses – even lawn grass such as buffalo and kikuyu.

Tree pollen is designed to fly. Pine pollen, for instance, can drift on wind for more than 900 kilometres. Quite often, the worst are non-indigenous trees – and they release pollen at different times of the year, according to The Real Pollen Count.

In Cape Town, people often blame the famous indigenous fynbos for their allergies. But fynbos is rarely allergenic. Most are pollinated by insects, birds or small mammals such as mice or bats. The pollen doesn’t get airborne easily, so there’s less danger of inhaling it.

Pollen isn’t the only threat. Mould allergy may trigger asthma or allergy. It will produce spores in any season if the weather is right, such as when rain is followed by warm weather. Spring cleaning will stir up dust mites throughout the house as well. Surprisingly, menstruation can make an allergy worse. Experts think higher levels of hormones such as estrogen can aggravate it.

Related article: Bless you! It’s pollen season

TREATMENT
There are three main medicines (or a combination of them) you can get over the counter to relieve symptoms. Ask your pharmacist or doctor which is best for you:

Oral antihistamines can help relieve sneezing, itching, a runny nose and watery eyes.
Decongestants can provide temporary relief from nasal stuffiness. You get them as pills or sprays. Use nasal decongestants for only a few days in a row. Any longer might make symptoms worse. It’s called rebound congestion.
Nasal spray. Saline sprays can ease symptoms and doesn't have serious side effects. They work best if you start using them before you have symptoms.
Combinations. Some have an antihistamine and a decongestant as well.

Most of these need time to work. The American College of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology recommends starting your allergy medication two weeks before you expect symptoms.

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TRY AT HOME
You can rinse out your nose with a quarter teaspoon of salt mixed into water that's been cooled to lukewarm after boiling it. Add a quarter teaspoon of bicarb to clear out mucus and open sinus passages. Do this daily to reduce symptoms, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America recommends.

Steam inhalation can soothe and open nasal passages. Place a bowl of boiling water on a table. Cover your head and the bowl with a towel and breathe in the vapours.

Research shows that people who had acupuncture noticed fewer nasal symptoms.

KEEPING IT CLEAN
You can contain allergens with a few basic steps:

Keep lawns short and wear a mask when mowing or gardening.
Keep car windows closed when you drive and set the air con to circulate the air in the car.
Wash bed linen once a week in warm water to get rid of dust mites and pollen. Let them dry inside if you can, so they don’t pick up allergens outdoors.
Leave your shoes outside the house, especially after a walk in nature.
Wear hats and sunglasses outside to limit pollen getting in your eyes or landing on your hair.
Shower or bath at night so you don’t carry allergens into your bed.
Vacuum floors at least once a week with a mask on.
Clean bookshelves, vents, and other places where pollen can collect.
Wash and brush pets often, especially if they’re outside a lot.

Allergic rhinitis leads to complications sometimes and the symptoms might have a different cause. So if nothing helps and the condition starts disrupting your sleep or daily life, talk to a doctor.