Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPrevention and TreatmentAvoid TriggersIndoor RemediesMedicationsEye Drops & RinsesRinse SinusesNatural RemediesAcupunctureImmunotherapy
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Prevention and Treatment
Avoid Triggers
Indoor Remedies
Medications
Eye Drops & Rinses
Rinse Sinuses
Natural Remedies
Acupuncture
Immunotherapy
To get rid of seasonal allergies, you may need to make lifestyle changes and use medication. Also known ashay feveror allergic rhinitis, seasonal allergies result from your body overreacting to environmental stimuli such as tree pollen in the spring. This causes symptoms such as runny nose, watery eyes, itching or sore throat, puffy eyes, headache, and irritability.
You can try avoiding the allergen when possible, but you may need to take other steps to prevent or stop the allergic reaction.
Verywell / Danie Drankwalter
Preventing and Treating Seasonal Allergies
All of those symptoms can leave you feeling miserable and wondering how to get rid of seasonal allergies. Luckily, there are steps you can take to make your seasonal allergies less severe and put an end to symptoms.
1:12Watch Now: 7 Tips for Avoiding Pollen Exposure
1:12
Watch Now: 7 Tips for Avoiding Pollen Exposure
Avoid Your Triggers
The most important thing you can do to stop seasonal allergies is to limit your exposure to triggers.This is easier said than done, especially at times whentree pollenorragweedis pervasive in your outdoor environment.
Knowing what you’re allergic to can also help in avoiding allergy triggers. Your healthcare provider may recommend skin tests and/or blood tests to find out exactly what allergens trigger your symptoms.
During the spring, summer, and fall, you can find pollen counts for a given region. These reports tell you whether the amount of pollen in the air is low, medium, or high. On days when the count is higher, you can:
Shower Before Bed
Even with precautions, you’re exposed to lots of irritants as you move through the day. During the seasons when your allergies are the worst, shower before bed. This will remove pollen, mold spores, or other allergens from your skin, nasal passages, and hair. It will also ensure you’re not exposed while you sleep.
Keep Indoors Allergy-Free
Keep Windows Shut
During peak allergy season, keep your doors and windows shut. This will help limit the number of allergens that enter your house. If you’re craving fresh air, go outside for a walk when pollen counts are generally lower. Tree and grass pollen in the spring and summer areworse in the early morning, and it’s recommended that you wait until late morning or early afternoon (at the earliest) to do any outdoor activity to decrease exposure to these pollens.
Use An Air Purifier
Even with windows shut, you’ll likely have some allergens in your home. To reduce their impact on you, use anair purifier. These devices draw indoor air into the device and pass it through a filter. The filter gathers substances (like mold, dust, pet dander, smoke, and unpleasant odors) and pushes clean air back into the room.
Some people also benefit from using ahumidifier. Humidified air can make the nostrils less dry and prone to irritation and allergens. However, humidifiers themselves can sometimes worsen allergens likemoldand dust mites. Talk with your healthcare provider about whether a humidifier might help your allergies.
Use a HEPA Filter
Using a HEPA filter in your air purifier will maximize the substances removed from the air. These fine mesh filters make your air purifier more effective because they’re designed to remove more than 99% of small particles, including common allergens like pollen, pet dander, and mold.
Take Over-the-Counter Medications
Taking over-the-counter medications to prevent seasonal allergies before they start is the best option. This is particularly helpful for people who take intranasal corticosteroids, which take several days to have a peak effect.
If your symptoms are less frequent, you can also take oral antihistamines to interrupt a seasonal allergy attack that has already begun.
As needed, the usage of nasal steroids is less effective in controlling symptoms.When used after symptoms have already started, nasal steroids may not feel helpful because they take a few days before they have their best effect.
Antihistamines
Antihistamineslike Claritin can be taken daily during allergy season to relieve symptoms. Antihistamines block the effects of histamine, which then relieves runny nose, itchy or watery eyes, hives, swelling, and other signs or symptoms of allergies.
Because some antihistamines can cause drowsiness, take them with caution when you need to drive or do other activities that require alertness.
Decongestants
Be sure to take only the amount recommended on the medicine’s label, and if you take prescription medication, check with your healthcare provider before taking an OTC decongestant.These medications should only be taken for a few days at a time due to side effects like increased blood pressure.
Nasal Corticosteroids
During allergy season nasal corticosteroids, likeFlonase(fluticasone), can be taken daily to help keep symptoms at bay. This medicine is sprayed into the nose to reduce congestion, runny nose, sneezing, itching, and swelling in the nasal passageway.
It may take two weeks or more for your symptoms to improve. Starting a corticosteroid spray at the beginning of pollen season will work best for decreasing symptoms during that season.
Cromolyn Sodium Nasal Spray
Cromolyn sodium nasal spray is inhaled three to six times a day and may take one to two weeks to work, so starting before allergy season may be the most effective.
Use Eye Drops
There are several types of eye drops including lubricating eye drops (artificial tears) as well as eye drops that contain medicines, such as:
Some drops contain a combination of these medicines. Others require a prescription.
Rinsing yoursinuses, also called nasal irrigation, can clear allergens, remove mucus from your nose, and moisten nasal passages exposed to dry air, making you less likely to have allergy symptoms.
Use a saline solution from the drug store, or combine a cup of distilled or boiled water (once it has cooled) with an over-the-counter pre-mixed salt packet labeled for intranasal use. Do not use tap water.
Nasal irrigation devices, such as neti pots, squeeze bottles, and rubber nasal bulbs, are used to push the water through one nostril and out the other. Perform the rinse over a sink and take these steps:
Try Natural Remedies
Research regarding vitamin use in allergic disease is inconclusive. Maintaining good nutrition that includes critical vitamins and minerals is important for good health. Specific supplements are not currently recommended.
When to See a Healthcare ProviderIf the way you currently treat seasonal allergies isn’t providing symptom relief or you notice changes to allergy symptoms, talk to your healthcare provider.If you experience facial or throat swelling, trouble breathing, or any other concerning symptoms, call 911 or seek medical help immediately.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
If the way you currently treat seasonal allergies isn’t providing symptom relief or you notice changes to allergy symptoms, talk to your healthcare provider.If you experience facial or throat swelling, trouble breathing, or any other concerning symptoms, call 911 or seek medical help immediately.
If the way you currently treat seasonal allergies isn’t providing symptom relief or you notice changes to allergy symptoms, talk to your healthcare provider.
If you experience facial or throat swelling, trouble breathing, or any other concerning symptoms, call 911 or seek medical help immediately.
Consider Acupuncture
It is thought that acupuncture may reduce inflammatory markers. A 2014 review concluded several studies indicate acupuncture reduces allergic symptoms (nasal congestion in particular) and improves quality of life.
A 2015 evaluation of 13 studies involving 2,365 participants affirmed these results. The study authors concluded that acupuncture for allergic rhinitis may be helpful.
Use Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy, also called allergy shots, is a preventive treatment for allergic reactions to substances (allergens) such as grass pollens, dust mites, and bee venom.
Immunotherapy involves giving gradually increasing doses of the allergen that the person is allergic to. The incremental increases in the allergen cause the immune system to become less sensitive to the substance, which reduces the symptoms of allergy when the substance is encountered in the future. Immunotherapy also reduces the inflammation associated with allergic rhinitis.
Seasonal Allergies Doctor Discussion GuideGet our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.Download PDFEmail AddressSign UpThank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up.There was an error. Please try again.
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Summary
Seasonal allergies can happen in the summer, spring, or fall. Lifestyle changes and medications can reduce your symptoms and improve your quality of life during allergy season.
14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Allergic rhinitis.American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Seasonal allergies.Allergy and Asthma Network.HEPA filters: Help or hype?Medline Plus.Antihistamines for allergies.American Academy of Family Physicians.Decongestants: OTC relief for congestion.Medline Plus.Nasal corticosteroid sprays.Medline Plus.Cromolyn sodium nasal solution.American Academy of Family Physicians.Allergic conjunctivitis.UCLA Health.Risks and rewards of nasal rinses: what you need to know.Kurowski M, Seys S, Bonini M, et al.Physical exercise, immune response, and susceptibility to infections—current knowledge and growing research areas. Allergy. 2022;77(9):2653-2664. doi: 10.1111/all.15328National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.6 things to know about complementary health approaches for seasonal allergy relief.Hauswald B, Yarin YM.Acupuncture in allergic rhinitis: A Mini-Review. Allergo J Int. 2014;23(4):115-119. doi: 10.1007/s40629-014-0015-3Feng S, Han M, Fan Y, et al.Acupuncture for the treatment of allergic rhinitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2015 Jan-Feb;29(1):57-62. doi: 10.2500/ajra.2015.29.4116American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Allergy immunotherapy.
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Allergic rhinitis.American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Seasonal allergies.Allergy and Asthma Network.HEPA filters: Help or hype?Medline Plus.Antihistamines for allergies.American Academy of Family Physicians.Decongestants: OTC relief for congestion.Medline Plus.Nasal corticosteroid sprays.Medline Plus.Cromolyn sodium nasal solution.American Academy of Family Physicians.Allergic conjunctivitis.UCLA Health.Risks and rewards of nasal rinses: what you need to know.Kurowski M, Seys S, Bonini M, et al.Physical exercise, immune response, and susceptibility to infections—current knowledge and growing research areas. Allergy. 2022;77(9):2653-2664. doi: 10.1111/all.15328National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.6 things to know about complementary health approaches for seasonal allergy relief.Hauswald B, Yarin YM.Acupuncture in allergic rhinitis: A Mini-Review. Allergo J Int. 2014;23(4):115-119. doi: 10.1007/s40629-014-0015-3Feng S, Han M, Fan Y, et al.Acupuncture for the treatment of allergic rhinitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2015 Jan-Feb;29(1):57-62. doi: 10.2500/ajra.2015.29.4116American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Allergy immunotherapy.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MedlinePlus.Allergic rhinitis.American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Seasonal allergies.Allergy and Asthma Network.HEPA filters: Help or hype?Medline Plus.Antihistamines for allergies.American Academy of Family Physicians.Decongestants: OTC relief for congestion.Medline Plus.Nasal corticosteroid sprays.Medline Plus.Cromolyn sodium nasal solution.American Academy of Family Physicians.Allergic conjunctivitis.UCLA Health.Risks and rewards of nasal rinses: what you need to know.Kurowski M, Seys S, Bonini M, et al.Physical exercise, immune response, and susceptibility to infections—current knowledge and growing research areas. Allergy. 2022;77(9):2653-2664. doi: 10.1111/all.15328National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.6 things to know about complementary health approaches for seasonal allergy relief.Hauswald B, Yarin YM.Acupuncture in allergic rhinitis: A Mini-Review. Allergo J Int. 2014;23(4):115-119. doi: 10.1007/s40629-014-0015-3Feng S, Han M, Fan Y, et al.Acupuncture for the treatment of allergic rhinitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2015 Jan-Feb;29(1):57-62. doi: 10.2500/ajra.2015.29.4116American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Allergy immunotherapy.
MedlinePlus.Allergic rhinitis.
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Seasonal allergies.
Allergy and Asthma Network.HEPA filters: Help or hype?
Medline Plus.Antihistamines for allergies.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Decongestants: OTC relief for congestion.
Medline Plus.Nasal corticosteroid sprays.
Medline Plus.Cromolyn sodium nasal solution.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Allergic conjunctivitis.
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Hauswald B, Yarin YM.Acupuncture in allergic rhinitis: A Mini-Review. Allergo J Int. 2014;23(4):115-119. doi: 10.1007/s40629-014-0015-3
Feng S, Han M, Fan Y, et al.Acupuncture for the treatment of allergic rhinitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2015 Jan-Feb;29(1):57-62. doi: 10.2500/ajra.2015.29.4116
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Allergy immunotherapy.
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