Skip to content

Top Navigation

Health.com Health.com
  • Health Conditions A-Z
  • News
  • Coronavirus
  • Diet & Nutrition
  • Fitness
  • Beauty
  • Mind & Body
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Newsletter
  • Promo

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences this link opens in a new tab
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Health.com

Health.com Health.com
  • Explore

    Explore

    • Is Your Doctor Gaslighting You? Here's What to Do

      How to handle a physician who doubts or dismisses your symptoms. Read More Next
    • 9 Signs It's More Serious Than the Common Cold

      Doctors explain how to tell if you have a head cold or something more serious that requires medical attention, such as the flu, strep throat, meningitis, or mono. Read More Next
    • How Your Period Changes During Your 20s, 30s, and 40s

      From easier cramps to a heavier flow, here's a guide on what to expect decade by decade. Read More Next
  • Health Conditions A-Z

    Health Conditions A-Z

    See all Health Conditions A-Z

    12 Anxiety Symptoms That Might Point to a Disorder

    The symptoms of anxiety can be hard to detect. Here are the ones you need to pay attention to, and how to know if you may have an anxiety disorder.
    • Allergies
    • Anxiety
    • Birth Control
    • Breast Cancer
    • Coronavirus
    • Chronic Pain
    • Cold, Flu, and Sinus
    • Depression
    • Digestive Health
    • Diabetes (Type 2)
    • Eczema
    • Eye Health
    • Fibromyalgia
    • Heart Disease
    • Headaches and Migraines
    • Oral Health
    • Pregnancy
    • Psoriasis
    • Sexual Health
    • Skin Conditions
    • Sleep
    • Thyroid
  • News

    News

    See all News

    Shannen Doherty Reveals Stage 4 Breast Cancer Diagnosis—Here's What It Means

    "I'm petrified," the actress said when she shared the news that her breast cancer came back. Here's why a stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis can be so frightening.
    • Celebrities
  • Coronavirus
  • Diet & Nutrition

    Diet & Nutrition

    The Best (and Worst) Diets of 2020, According to Experts

    FYI: The keto diet is not number one.
    • Food
    • Nutrition
    • Vitamins and Supplements
    • Groceries
    • Restaurants
    • Diets
    • Keto Diet
    • Mediterranean Diet
    • Whole30
    • Recipes
  • Fitness

    Fitness

    See all Fitness

    10 Moves for a Cardio Workout at Home—No Equipment Required

    Stay in your living room and still spike your heart rate.
    • Cardio Workouts
    • Strength Training
    • Yoga
    • Ab Workouts
    • Arm Workouts
    • Leg Workouts
    • Butt Workouts
    • Fitness Gear
  • Beauty

    Beauty

    See all Beauty

    These 13 Women Prove Every Body Is a Bikini Body

    We're loving their inspirational, body-positive messages.
    • Skincare
    • Makeup
    • Hair
    • Nails
  • Mind & Body

    Mind & Body

    See all Mind & Body

    Why Do People Lie? We Asked an Expert

    Here's the truth about lying.
    • Body Positivity
    • Self-Care
    • Misdiagnosed
    • Invisible Illness
    • LGBTQ+ Health
    • Health Diversity and Inclusion
    • Resolution Reboot
  • Lifestyle

    Lifestyle

    20 Things You Should Throw Away for Better Health

    Clean out expired products and clutter to make way for a healthier you.
    • Healthy Home
    • Pets
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Style
    • Holidays
    • Sex
    • Gifts
    • Money
    • Tech
    • Medicare
    • Best Life Now
  • Weight Loss
  • Newsletter
  • Promo

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences this link opens in a new tab
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow us

  1. Home Chevron Right
  2. Allergies Chevron Right
  3. 20 Ways to Stop Allergies

20 Ways to Stop Allergies

By Hallie Levine Sklar
August 01, 2016
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
Credit: Istockphoto
Seasonal allergies are here, but if you're one of the sniffly multitudes, you may have noticed that the "allergy season" can span most of the year (and that symptoms may flare right before your period).
Start Slideshow

1 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Stop the sneezing

Credit: Istockphoto
  • It's like a scene from a low-budget horror flick: the trees are blooming, the grass is growing... and runny-nosed zombies are invading the planet! Seasonal allergies are here, but if you're one of the sniffly multitudes, you may have noticed that the "allergy season" can span most of the year (and that symptoms may flare right before your period).
  • Here's your best defense—from least to most invasive, medically speaking. Try the first few and you may not need to hit the pharmacy at all.

1 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Tree pollens, grasses, and weeds

Credit: Istockphoto

Your symptoms surfaced as early as February, when trees started blooming. Right now, it’s grasses that are making you miserable (they will through late summer). Weeds will keep you wheezing through fall.

Police pollen

Click on the National Allergy Bureau’s website for a daily ranking of allergens, including seasonal tree pollens, grasses, weeds, and outdoor molds. Stay indoors when levels are high or very high for those that you’re sensitive to.

2 of 21

3 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Wear a mask

Credit: Getty Images

If you must finish that gardening before the in-laws show up, don a not-so-chic but très useful N95 filter mask ($17 for 20; drugstore.com), which keeps pollen out of your nose and mouth.

3 of 21

Advertisement

4 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Wash your hair at night

Credit: Istockphoto

Rinse the pollen out, especially if you’re a gel or mousse fan. These products can trap pollen.

4 of 21

5 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Soak up the calm

Credit: Istockphoto

In one study, seasonal allergy (hay fever) sufferers had a more extreme reaction the day after performing a stressful task, such as giving a speech.

"Stress raises levels of the hormone cortisol," says Clifford Bassett, MD, an allergist at New York University Medical Center, and that often leads to an amped-up allergic response.

A few minutes of meditation or a soak in the tub should help.

5 of 21

6 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Keep your nose clean

Credit: Istockphoto

"Your nose is like a car windshield—pollen sticks to it," says Neil Kao, MD, an allergist at the Allergic Disease and Asthma Center, in Greenville, S.C.

Try a saline sinus rinse (amazon.com), found at any drugstore.

If that doesn't do it, buy the nonprescription herbal nasal spray NasalCrom (cromolyn sodium), which helps prevent allergic reactions in your nose.

6 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Take an antihistamine

Credit: Getty Images

There have never been more over-the-counter antihistamine options.

You may be able to find relief with 10 milligrams of cetirizine (Zyrtec) once a day.

If those don’t work, ask your doctor for a prescription antihistamine such as fexofanadine (Allegra, but also available as a generic) or levocetirizine dihydrochloride (Xyzal).

7 of 21

8 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Try the sprays

Credit: Istockphoto

If nasal washes and antihistamines don’t work for you, up the ante with a prescription steroid spray like Flonase, but you can skip decongestants; Dr. Kao says they don’t work for allergies and may worsen your congestion after several days of use.

8 of 21

9 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Dust mites

Credit: Istockphoto

Dust mites thrive in homes that are warmer than 70 degrees and have a humidity above 50 percent. Here's how to beat them.

Cool (and dry) it Keeping your home temp in the mid to low 60s and the humidity between 40% and 45% should send them packing.

Buy a home hygrometer ($10; amazon.com) to measure humidity levels.

9 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Use barriers

Credit: Getty Images

To fight dust mites, look for mattress and pillow encasements at stores like Target, as well as online retailers like AllergyBuyersClub.com; costs range from $50 to $150 for bedding made from organic cotton.

10 of 21

11 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Boil your bedding

Credit: Getty Images

Not literally, but you should wash your sheets and pillowcases weekly in water that’s at least 140 degrees; a study in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology found that this temperature wiped out all dust mites.

11 of 21

12 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Outsource housekeeping

Credit: Istockphoto
  • This won't take much arm-twisting, will it?
  • Vacuuming and sweeping stir up dust mites and their droppings, which can take more than two hours to settle.
  • If you can’t hire someone else to clean your house while you're away, invest in a vacuum cleaner with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, like the Eureka Boss SmartVac ($150; target.com)—and wear a trusty filter mask.

12 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Try acupuncture

Credit: Istockphoto

At least one study and lots of anecdotal evidence suggest it can help.

“I’ve seen amazing results in my allergic patients,” says Roberta Lee, MD, vice chair of the Department of Integrative Medicine at the Beth Israel Medical Center, in New York City.

She thinks acupuncture may decrease stress hormones, which can reduce inflammation. A session usually costs $100 to $150; ask your insurance company if some or all of that is covered.

13 of 21

14 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Indoor mold

Credit: Getty Images

Mold thrives in warmer, more humid weather. Don’t assume it’s not there just because you can’t see it: Mold can hide under carpets, in walls, or anywhere. Here's how to beat it.

Bleach it

A 5% bleach solution and a rag or sponge can zap small mold problems.

If you’ve got a very large moldy area (more than 10 square feet), consider hiring a mold-cleanup crew. Find one at the Indoor Air Quality Association.

14 of 21

15 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Dry up rooms

Credit: Getty Images

Put an exhaust fan in bathrooms and laundry rooms, and a dehumidifier in unfinished basements.

15 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Get HEPA

Credit: Istockphoto

Filters, that is. Ideally, you want a central air-conditioning system with a HEPA filter attached.

If you don’t have central air, try free-standing air cleaners in key rooms such as the bedroom.

Change the filters at least every three months and have your heating and air-conditioning units inspected (and cleaned, if necessary) every six.

16 of 21

17 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Pet dander

Credit: Istockphoto

If you’re set off by pets, you may be allergic to proteins found in the animal’s saliva, dander (dead skin flakes), and urine. And all furry pets carry these proteins; studies suggest hypoallergenic cats and dogs can cause just as many symptoms as the regular kind. Here are better steps you can take if you can’t bear to part with Rover or Frisky.

Ban him from the bedroom

Just keeping pets out (or better yet, away from your upstairs entirely) can help relieve your symptoms.

17 of 21

18 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Cut the rug

Credit: Istockphoto

Consider replacing wall-to-wall carpeting with hardwood floors, tile, or linoleum, which won’t trap dander.

18 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Get him groomed

Credit: Istockphoto

Your pet that is. Ask your nonallergic partner or child to comb him every day, preferably outside, with a comb dipped in distilled water, which traps dander.

And a weekly bath (more often will dry his skin, making the dander problem worse) is a must.

19 of 21

20 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Get shot

Credit: Istockphoto

Immunotherapy has about an 85% effectiveness rate in decreasing allergic symptoms, including those triggered by animal proteins.

You get one to two weekly shots to expose you to very small doses of the allergen, and the dose is gradually increased over about six months.

You’ll need maintenance shots about once a month for three to five years.

20 of 21

21 of 21

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Could it be something else?

Credit: Istockphoto

Do you have a runny, stuffy nose that just won’t quit? If dust-proofing your house and taking antihistamines don’t make you feel better, you may have a condition called chronic nonallergic rhinitis, a swelling of your nasal lining and passages that leaves you congested and drippy.

“Unlike your usual allergies, you don’t have an itchy nose, eyes, or throat, and you don’t respond to allergy medications,” explains Dr. Bassett.

Try eliminating irritants like strong odors (think perfume or household cleaners). Saline nasal sprays and rinses often bring relief, but if they don’t work, ask your doctor for a steroid nasal spray.

21 of 21

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Hallie Levine Sklar

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 21 Stop the sneezing
2 of 21 Tree pollens, grasses, and weeds
3 of 21 Wear a mask
4 of 21 Wash your hair at night
5 of 21 Soak up the calm
6 of 21 Keep your nose clean
7 of 21 Take an antihistamine
8 of 21 Try the sprays
9 of 21 Dust mites
10 of 21 Use barriers
11 of 21 Boil your bedding
12 of 21 Outsource housekeeping
13 of 21 Try acupuncture
14 of 21 Indoor mold
15 of 21 Dry up rooms
16 of 21 Get HEPA
17 of 21 Pet dander
18 of 21 Cut the rug
19 of 21 Get him groomed
20 of 21 Get shot
21 of 21 Could it be something else?

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Login

Health.com

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • About Us
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact us
  • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Health.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved. The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments. All products and services featured are selected by our editors. Health.com may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.health.com

View image

20 Ways to Stop Allergies
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.