PREVENTION TIPS

Shut your windows and use the air conditioning at home and in the car (recirculate air instead of bringing in air from outside).

Avoid midday excursions when pollen is at its peak. You can check your area’s pollen counts at pollen.com or the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology’s pollen.aaaai.org.

After coming indoors, change your clothes and take a shower to wash off irritants.

Don’t dry clothes outside where they’ll capture pollen.

Rinse your nasal passages with a saline solution, which flushes allergens out of your sinus cavity.

Try HEPA filters, which help clear allergens like pollen and mold from the air.

Keep pets, who can track pollen indoors, out of the bedroom.

Encase your mattress in a dust- and mite-proof cover. Wash sheets weekly in hot water and dry on high to kill mites.

If you’re going to be around a cat or spending time outdoors, take an antihistamine (such as pills, nasal sprays or eye drops) beforehand. Wearing a face mask also helps protect you. “I have patients who make sure to wear a mask when they cut the lawn,” says Hong.

For many, allergy shots, which expose you to a small amount of your allergens, gradually building up your tolerance, work well. “Eighty percent of people feel they’re really effective in controlling their symptoms,” says Hong.

Instead of shots, your doctor may prescribe sublingual drops (applied under the tongue) to take at home that act in a similar manner and can help desensitize you to allergens like grass, ragweed and dust mites.