The Best Home Strategies for Reducing Indoor Allergens

Your immune system, a loose connection of organs, cells, and tissues that defend against disease and illness, works tirelessly to block or remove things that damage cells in your body. When people develop allergies, a problem affecting 80 million Americans, their immune system attacks harmless substances and causes a range of unpleasant symptoms.

Pollen is the most common outdoor allergen (a substance that triggers allergic reactions) as warm weather settles in, but many other allergens can trigger problems inside your house as well. To combat the problems allergies can cause, let’s review the triggers that affect you at home, what can happen during a reaction, and how to reduce their effects.

The medical staff at Lake Grove ENT is dedicated to helping the residents of Lake Oswego, Oregon, with getting relief from allergies and a range of other conditions affecting the ears, nose, and throat.

Common indoor allergies

Even if you secure your windows and doors and work to prevent outdoor allergens from getting into your house, these triggers can make your life miserable:

• Mold: water vapor can create moisture where mold can develop in several areas in your home

• Pets: skin flakes and urine from pets can trigger allergic responses

• Pests: cockroaches, rodents, and other uninvited pests can cause allergy symptoms

• Dust mites: these microscopic insects settle on household objects, and their waste and dead bodies can cause allergies

• Cleaning supplies: various chemicals in cleansers used around the house can trigger allergies

• Cigarette smoke: in addition to being carcinogenic, smoking can also cause allergic attacks

Symptoms of allergies

When exposed to allergens, you can experience a range of symptoms, including nasal congestion, sneezing, watery eyes, redness, swelling, rashes, hives, nausea, fatigue, headache, coughing, and postnasal drip. If your allergies cause asthma-like symptoms, you may also experience chest tightness, wheezing, sleep problems, and difficulty breathing. 

These problems can occur through inhalation of allergens, ingestion if food allergies are involved, or direct contact.

Tips for reducing indoor allergies

To lower your chances of dealing with reactions from these triggers, try practicing these tips:

Bedding covers

Encasing mattresses, box springs, and pillows in protective, allergen-proof covers can reduce dust mites and lower other allergen sources in your bed. Plastic covers can also be used.

Clean areas where allergens are likely

Areas where pollen, pet dander, and other triggers frequently appear should be sanitized and vacuumed regularly to lower the risk of reactions.

Get pests removed

Getting pest control to get rid of rodents and cockroaches from your house, and cleaning areas where they’ve been, can help a great deal.

Eliminate molds from surfaces

Detergents and bleaches (a 5% solution in water) can remove mold from surfaces, but be sure to dry the areas completely. Get professional help if all else fails.

Use dehumidifiers

Reducing moisture levels with dehumidifiers can also help prevent mold from developing.

These hints can make a difference in how much control your allergies have over your life. If you need more tips or help controlling the symptoms, make an appointment with the team at Lake Grove ENT.