What to Do About Mold and Pollen Allergies

Plants produce pollen almost all year round. Mold is in the environment and in your home all year round as well. The pollen from plants goes into the air to fertilize other plants but much of that pollen is inhaled by people when they are outdoors. Mold also releases spores into the air that we all inhale.

When you inhale these particles, your body reacts as if they are a foreign material that needs to be fought off. The body’s response is to produce histamines. This is what causes your allergy symptoms to start acting up. The most common of the symptoms that go along with allergies include itchy and water eyes, sneezing and inflammation of the nose and eye membranes. These are not the only symptoms you can have with allergies, though.

Pollen and mold spread far and wide so attempting to move to an area without pollen and mold is nearly impossible. Humidity is in all homes and that is what causes mold. You cannot get away from pollen and mold but there are things you can do to minimize your exposure and your symptoms from allergies.

Managing Pollen Allergies

The amount of pollen in the air at different times of day is different so if you adjust your habits, you can avoid some exposure. The mornings are usually when pollen is highest and during times of high humidity or rain the pollen levels are also affected. Rain and humidity do not allow pollen to rise up in the air and travel.

Shutting your windows in your home will keep a lot of the pollen in the air out of your home. You should also be sure your air conditioner and attic fan have filters that will help keep pollen out of your home. If you have allergies, don’t hang your clothes out to dry because they will collect pollen and increase your exposure to the allergens.

Managing Mold Allergies

Mold growth increases when humidity is present. Humidity lowers pollen levels but increases mold levels. If you run your air conditioner and a dehumidifier, you will reduce the mold levels in your home. You should also keep your house clean to avoid letting mold build up and decrease your likelihood of exposure. Washing your hands frequently will make sure that any mold spores you do get exposed to do not make it into your body.

There are a lot of cleaning products that make keeping mold out of your kitchen and bathrooms fairly easy. Keep your hands clean and dry especially after you do heavy cleaning with these products to remove mold.

Treatments for Allergies

If none of the suggestions you have tried to reduce your allergy symptoms help, it may be time to consider medication for your allergies. The medication won’t get rid of your allergies but it will help make your symptoms more bearable. Many people get relief from antihistamines such as Benedryl. These medications work by countering the histamine that your body produces when exposed to allergens. Other medications that help are from the corticosteriods family. These medications reduce swelling in the membranes and stop your body from overproducing mucus. Using too much of these medications is potentially dangerous though.

Anytime you have a severe outbreak of allergies for longer than a few weeks, you should call your doctor. If you have allergies, you won’t find a cure but there are ways to treat the allergies so you don’t have to suffer with the symptoms.

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