Our Tips on How to Survive Hayfever

One in 5 Australians suffer from hayfever each Spring. hayfever, or allergic rhinitis, is caused by contaminants in the air creating an immune system response in our bodies. This response is usually in the form of flu-like symptoms such as itchy and watery eyes, itchy or sore throat, nasal congestion or headache. The contaminants that cause this include things like pet dander, pollen, dust mites and mould spores. Read on for some tips on how to survive hayfever this season.

Your Hayfever Triggers

Know what triggers your symptoms. If you’re not sure it’s worth considering allergy tests to find out. Speak to your local GP about being tested. After all, if you know what’s causing it you can minimise your exposure to it. And sometimes it’s surprising what can cause it.

Common Hayfever Triggers

Avoid the common allergens as much as you can if you’re not entirely sure what’s causing your symptoms. Things like pollen and pet dander are best avoided. To stay away from pollen, keep your windows in the house and car closed, don’t mow the lawn yourself and don’t go outside on windy days or just after a thunderstorm. Pet dander is the dead skin, saliva, urine proteins and fur that your pet sheds. Restrict your pet’s movements indoors and don’t sleep with them. A professional carpet clean every 6 months will keep pet dander under control.

Protection

Always wear sunglasses outdoors – it’s a simple method of protecting your eyes from airborne irritants. Shower and wash your hair every night before bed to reduce your night-time symptoms.

Hydration

It’s important to reduce inflammation by staying well hydrated and eating anti-inflammatory foods. Food that is high in water content will help – things like berries, celery, cucumber and melons as well as green leafy veggies. Avoid coffee and alcohol.

Clean is Best

Probably the most critical factor in reducing exposure is to keep a very clean house. Humans shed about 1million skin cells every day which is the favourite food of dust mites. There can be as many as 2 million dust mites in your bed alone. Having your mattress, upholstery and carpets cleaned professionally is a very good idea. Sun Dry Carpet Cleaning & Pest Control use a sanitising solution called Healthguard in our cleaning process which will eliminate dust mites, germs, bacteria and fungus during the cleaning process.

Medication

Visit your local chemist and talk to the pharmacist. There are many over the counter medications that are available to reduce your symptoms. Don’t suffer in silence.

A visit by Sun Dry Carpet Cleaning & Pest Control is probably one of the best things you can do to reduce your exposure to allergens. Vacuuming carpet will only remove about 60% of the contaminants in the carpet and leave behind 40% to build up. Once the carpet is clogged it can no longer trap the allergens and so they become airborne again where you can breathe them in. Consider having your carpet, upholstery, mattress and even air conditioner cleaned bySun Dry Carpet Cleaning & Pest Control for a symptom-free summer.