There are different home remedies for stopping allergies; among them include breathing in the steam and making use of the nasal sprays. Avoidance of allergens can also control your allergies.
Allergens like dust mites, mold, pet dander, and pollen cause allergies in some people. If you are allergic to these harmless substances, your body overreacts, releasing chemicals such as histamine that result in allergy symptoms. Histamine makes you sneeze, makes your eyes itch, and runny nose. Other allergic mediators, including leukotrienes, participate in nasal congestion and “clogged ears.”
Home remedies can give you everything you need for relief with little cost or effort. But some of the most popular methods—essential oils, herbs, and supplements—haven’t been proven to work. Read on to find out how to stop allergies with these six natural remedies—and which remedies to avoid.
1. Dehumidifier
You can use a dehumidifier in spring and summer to manage your allergy symptoms. Always clean your dehumidifier using a vinegar solution, and you must empty it every day.
Since the humidity levels in such situations are less than 30% to 50%, the moisture being stripped away from the air doesn’t cause much mold, thus eliminating or controlling its formation. In the case of allergy-prone households, dehumidifiers significantly minimize dust mites, allergens present inside the air breathed. Note, however, if you have allergic conditions, it could exacerbate allergic reactions brought by substances in the air due to excessive dryness. Skin tends to wither, while nostrils feel irritated as a result.
2. HEPA Filters
HEPA filters capture allergens and other airborne irritants, including dust and pet dander. These devices cannot eliminate all particles in the air, but studies indicate that they can remove a substantial portion of the airborne allergens, such as dust mites and pet dander.4 Portable air cleaners equipped with HEPA filters are designed to clean the air in enclosed areas. Portable filters also exist, such as the Honeywell HPA100 True HEPA Allergen Remover, which facilitates airflow five times within an hour.
Whole-house systems often include HEPA filters in HVAC systems for optimal air quality. HEPA filters also eliminate moisture from the air and floors that can contribute to mold growth and mildew-a further contributor to allergy.
However, note that HEPA filters will only address airborne allergens. Particulates on a floor or walls are not altered and thus are necessary to also be vacuumed, swept, dusted and surfaces cleaned too.
3. Nasal Spray
Nasal steroid sprays reduce inflammation, dilate the nasal passages, and help clear a runny or stuffy nose and sneezing.7 Most of the nasal corticosteroids are available over the counter:
Flonase, Nasacort, Rhinocort, and Nasonex. If you get a nosebleed, you should stop using nasal sprays until the bleeding stops. Seek evaluation by a physician if the bleeding recurs.
Others with allergies are found to prefer simple saline nasal sprays. This nasal spray delivers saline evenly to get rid of excess mucus, flush out allergens, and moisturize your nasal passages.
4. Neti Pot
One of the mainstream remedies for allergies and stuffed-up sinuses is a Neti pot. This treatment rinses your nasal cavity with a saline solution, flushing out allergens and loosening mucus. You can buy a Neti pot online or at your local drugstore.
To use a Neti pot, one simply fills the pot with a mixture of salt and warm water, which are available in premeasured kits or can be made at home. Tilt your head to one side and pour the solution into one nostril until it flows out the other. Then do the other side. Before and after you use your Neti pot, you should clean it.
You will want to use boiled water (that has cooled) or distilled water only. Tap water can introduce potentially dangerous organisms into your system.Check the guide from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about what filters to buy if you choose filtered water
5. Showering
A steaming hot shower can temporarily soothe your sinuses and clear stuffed-up nasal passages. A quick rinse after spending time outdoors helps remove allergens from your skin and hair. Just make sure that the water is not too hot, which might result in scald injuries.
It’s so essential that immediately you plant, prune, or weed, ensure that you shower to remove shoes and clothing since washing can stop pollen from spreading into clothes, furniture, pillowcases, among others.
6. Steam
Other ways of inhaling steam—such as store-bought vaporizers, for instance—help clear out mucus and loosen up dry nasal passages almost as effectively as a shower. Studies have shown that inhaling steam opens up nasal passages and relieves a runny nose, facial pain, and sneezing.
Try pouring boiling water into a bowl or other container. Drape a towel over your head to form a tent, and then inhale deeply through your nose for five to 10 minutes. Be sure not to get your face too close to the water to avoid getting scorched. Maybe this is more convenient than taking multiple showers a day.
Do Essential Oils Help Stop Allergies?
Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts that provide soothing flavors and scents. Some people use essential oils to manage health issues like allergies. However. there is not sufficient medical evidence to prove that they are effective. Additionally, inhaling essential oils may be harmful.
Do Herbs and Supplements Help Stop Allergies?
Some individuals use herbs and supplements, including bromelain, an enzyme found in pineapple, ginger, and spirulina, which may help ease allergy symptoms. However, similar to essential oils, there is not enough research showing that they really work. And many supplements haven’t been studied for their impact on children, pregnant people, and those breastfeeding.
Remember that the Food and Drug Administration only minimally regulates supplements. The effects of supplements are different for each person and depend on many variables, including type, dosage, frequency of use, and interactions with current medications. Talk to a healthcare provider or pharmacist before taking any supplements.
Avoid Allergy Triggers
The best treatment to allergies is steering clear of most allergens if possible. Limiting your contact with allergens prevents allergy attacks. For example, if one is allergic to pollen, stay indoors on hot, dry and windy days when the amount of pollen in circulation is higher.
- Do not hang damp clothing and towels in a hamper
- Install wood or other hard flooring in your home instead of carpets if possible
- Keep the doors and windows in your home closed
- Know what plants and trees you are allergic to, and do not plant them near your home
- Replace your air conditioner and furnace filters regularly
- Use pull-down shades, which collect less dust than blinds with cloth or slats
- Wear a good quality mask while cutting grass, gardening, or mowing the lawn
- Wrap your bedding and mattress in mite-proof covers
- Vacuum carpets and other flooring
How to Allergy-Proof Your Hom
Lifestyle changes can help prevent and minimize allergy symptoms as much as possible. Here are some ways to allergy-proof your home:
- Clean your home regularly, with no dust buildup or mold growth
- Remove carpet and fabric or upholstered furniture
- Install air conditioner and furnace filters
- Keep your pets in separate rooms from where you eat and sleep
- Use a dehumidifier to lower moistures in your home if you are sensitive to dust mites or mold.
When To See a Healthcare Provider
Talk with a healthcare provider to determine what other options may be helpful if home remedies are not effective to relieve your symptoms. They might prescribe allergy medicines like antihistamines or leukotriene inhibitors. This medication blocks chemicals your body releases in response to an allergen.
If your symptoms are severe, you may need immunotherapy, also known as allergy shots. A healthcare provider will inject a small amount of an allergen into your body to help your body build up resistance to it. This treatment usually takes six to 12 months to see improvement. You’ll usually need to continue immunotherapy for three to five years to achieve full effectiveness and long-lasting relief.
Anaphylaxis
This is a reaction that can easily turn fatal by reaction to allergen. A large number of reactions are witnessed to drugs, foods, as well as some insects and its bites. These might be with anaphylaxis in minute quantities with exposures of mold dust mites and even pet dander and pollen
- Difficulty with breathing and swallowing
- Hives, itchy red skin, dizziness
- The blood pressure can suddenly decrease.
- Coughing, wheezing as well as noisy sounds when taking air
- Nausea vomiting diarrhea
- Swelling of the eyes, face, and/or tongue
A Quick Review
One may reduce allergic responses at home using remedies like steam inhalation and nasal sprays. Sometimes, it also just boils down to keeping one’s living space clean and staying away from allergy-causing irritants.
Consult a healthcare provider if those methods do not work or if your symptoms worsen. They may prescribe antihistamines or, in severe cases, allergy shots. A medical provider can assist you to find the best course of treatment to mitigate and prevent your particular allergy symptoms.
