N E W S

Vol 14, No. 3       LINCARE is a National Supplier of Home
Fall '01                Oxygen and Respiratory Therapy Services

HOW TO DEAL WITH OUTDOOR ALLERGIES

You're not alone if you're tormented by the runny nose and teary eyes of hay fever. More than 40 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies.

To protect yourself from allergic reactions, you need to identify the substances that trigger your problems. The timing of attacks is a clue to what causes them. You're probably sensitive to tree pollen if you suffer in early spring. Grass pollen dominates the late spring and summer months. Ragweed takes over in late summer and autumn. Some people are sensitive to more than one pollen or to some trees and grasses and not others.

You may also be allergic to the dust, mold and pet dander in your or a friend's home.

You may need to see an allergist if you have trouble pinning down the source of your problems. Once you know the cause, you'll know what to avoid, when to be careful and how to protect yourself.

REDUCING YOUR EXPOSURE

The strategies below can help you reduce your exposure to outdoor allergens and thereby reduce your seasonal suffering:

- Stay indoors as much as possible and keep windows and doors closed during peak pollen months. Never sleep near an open window.

- Use an air conditioner and clean or replace its filter at least once a month.

- Keep the windows and vents closed when riding in a car. Set the airflow to "recirculate" or use the air conditioner.

- Avoid open fields when you're outside, especially those that have just been mowed. If you're sensitive to grass, walk on sidewalks and sit on benches, not on the lawn.

- Have someone else do your yard work. Mowing the lawn or raking leaves can cause an attack if you're allergic to the pollen of grasses, trees, ragweed or mold.

- Learn the safest times to be outside. Pollen counts are lowest for an hour or two after a hard rain. They're highest at about 6 a.m. on sunny days with light winds.

- Don't hang blankets, sheets or towels out to dry. They're natural magnets for pollen.

PERSONAL CARE

These self-care strategies can help reduce your suffering from irritating allergens:

• Don't allow anyone (including yourself) to smoke in your home or car. Cigarette smoke is an irritant that can further aggravate allergy symptoms.
• Don't drink alcohol; doing so will make you feel more congested. Nasal passages naturally swell and secrete more mucus when you drink. Never mix alcohol and antihistamines; heavy sedation can result.
• Wash your hair every day to remove pollen.
• Exercise indoors, if possible. A moderate indoor workout can open up your nasal passages and make you feel better. (See adjacent column for outdoor exercise tips.)
• Limit exposure to irritating fumes. Avoid using perfume, hair spray, spray deodorant and other aerosols.
• Be alert to food allergies. Many pollen-bearing plants are in the same families as common foods. For example, ragweed is related to cantaloupe, honeydew and other melons. If you're sensitive to a pollen, eating the related foods can make your allergic reaction worse.
• Relax. Stress also can increase your sensitivity and cause a stronger allergic reaction.

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The goal of Lincare News is to share timely information with clients of LINCARE.  The contents are selected to provide guidelines for approaching the resolution of problems, but are not intended to provide medical advice for individual problems.  The latter should be obtained from you physician.

- Mickey McKenzie, Editor