Our top tips to prepare for allergy season

It is almost the end of February already. Christmas is all but a distant memory and the spring allergy season is creeping up fast. It’s important to take a proactive approach to preparing for spring allergies. Don’t let them play havoc with your body before you react!

Seasonal spring allergies tend to rear their ugly head from early March through until the end of May. It’s when spring plants begin to bloom, releasing pollen into the air we breathe. Tree pollen is the biggest issue for spring allergy sufferers, with grass pollen not arriving until late May/early June. The combination of the two in May can be hugely debilitating if you are susceptible to both kinds of pollen.

If you typically struggle with itchy or watery eyes, sneezing, stuffiness or sinus issues during the spring allergy season, now is the time to prepare to keep your symptoms at bay from your immune system.

First and foremost, seek medical advice

Before you do anything else, it’s a good idea to arrange an appointment with your GP. They may be able to prescribe you some stronger medication, such as antihistamines, that can work harder for you and your body than off-the-shelf products.

Try to minimise pollen circulation in your home

As tempting as it may be to let the fresh spring air into your home, it is important to keep as many doors and windows closed as possible when pollen levels are high. If you have been outside for a considerable period of time, consider changing your clothes when you get home. Pollen is well-known for sticking to fabrics and spreading more spores throughout your home.

Adopt allergy-proof bedding

To prevent pollen spores from weaving their way into your bedding in the spring, it’s a good idea to fit allergy-proof bedding. This prevents allergens from disturbing you through the night, helping you to enjoy an unbroken night’s sleep. Even if you have allergy-proof bedding, it’s important to wash your bedsheets more regularly in spring. If you don’t want to change all of your bedding, change your pillowcases once or twice weekly at the very least.

Solve any existing mould areas in your home

Pollen isn’t your only enemy in the spring allergy season. Mould can exacerbate allergy symptoms just as severely. Be sure to give your house a thorough once-over for mould in areas where it is most common e.g. bathrooms, toilets and kitchens. Work hard to remove any mould you find from surfaces using a mixture of water and bleach. If the mould is caused by a leak, get this fixed and sealed well in advance of spring.

Use transportable medicine storage when you are on the go

Of course, it’s impossible to avoid spring pollen at all times. Most of us have to leave home to go to work. That doesn’t mean you have to let your allergies win. At Medpac, we offer highly-practical, hard-wearing medicine storage that’s ideal for spring allergy sufferers. Our Small Insulated Medpac is ideal for storing asthma inhalers and bottles of antihistamine. The Medpac Active is also handy for allergy sufferers to wear when they are playing sport or exercising for extended periods outside.

Keep a close eye on the pollen count in your area

The saying goes: “to be forewarned is to be forearmed”. If you know about something before it happens, you can better prepare yourself for it. Try to look at daily weather forecasts on television or online. Forecasts can alert you of days when the pollen count is set to be extremely high, giving you time to act and minimise the amount of time you spend outdoors.