With summer in full swing and fall just around the corner, seasonal allergies have been flaring up. While not the most pleasant of experiences, there are ways to get around what triggers your allergies so that you can enjoy your summer. Read on for five tips on how to do just that, and how to get the most out of the sunny season.

1. Keep an Eye on the Pollen Count

One of the largest causes of summer allergies is pollen. While it could be said that staying inside is a simple way to get around many triggers to allergic reactions such as assorted insect bites, pollen, and others, staying inside can be a nightmare for some. Luckily, pollen counts are something that is kept an eye on that you can easily access, and as such when you plan to spend time outside you can take a look at the pollen count and plan accordingly.

2. Take a Quick Shower After Spending Time Outside

On the same note, after spending time outside one of the best things you can do is to take a shower to get any allergy triggers off of your person. This should also include washing your hair, as pollen can easily cling to your hair and can bother you for a while after you’ve been outside.

3. Brush Your Pets a Little More Often in the Summer

Similar to having a shower yourself after being outside, pets can carry allergy triggers quite easily in their fur. While bathing might not be necessary, brushing them more often

in the summer can help keep the outside off of them so as to lessen allergic reactions.

4. Give Your House a Deep Clean

Bringing in pollen can seem like the main culprit behind why cleaning your indoor space in the summer can be a great way to help reduce sniffling and sneezing in the comforts of your own home, but we must also remember that dust mites can also lead to allergic reactions, so you’re taking protection against multiple triggers with a good, deep house clean.

A summer clean should also include replacing the filters in your heating and cooling systems; typically the recommended time to change the filters is once a year, so doing so each summer is a great way to keep track. Changing the filter annually will help with those pesky allergy problems, but will also help your systems run more smoothly, meaning a less hefty bill to deal with every month.



5. Use an Air Purifier

This one can be an amazing help to those who find most of their allergic reactions come from airborne allergens: get an air purifier for your home! They can be cheap, energy efficient, and can also help with odors around the house while they make the air that much safer to breathe.

If you’re followed all these tips but are still left with a stuffy nose that just won’t go away, contact a board-certified otolaryngologist (ENT) like Dr. Eric F. Succar, MD for help. You can visit his clinic in Waterford, MI (Oakland County); he also treats patients from Bloomfield Hills, Clarkston, Pontiac, and Troy, MI. Contact him at (248) 254-8900 or learn more about his work on his website today!