Tis the Season to be Sneezing!

Helpful Hints to Reduce Hay Fever and Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

  As allergy season descends upon us, many people begin to suffer from itchy watery eyes, sneezing, runny nose, and/or persistent cough. What's a person to do? Here are some helpful hints to reduce "hay fever" symptoms.

• Wear a pollen mask - especially on dry windy days, when cleaning house or doing yard work.
• Pollen masks are available at your Health Center Pharmacy.
• Wear sun glasses or eye glasses to create a physical barrier to reduce the amount of pollen that enters the eye.
• Shower at night and shampoo hair to remove the pollen that accumulates during the day.
• Wash your bed linens often, especially your pillow case.
• Don't let pets sleep with you.
• Damp dust your room. Feather dusters and dry dusting stirs up the dust and sends it flying.
• Keep windows closed especially while sleeping.
• Limit outdoor activity on windy, dry days.
• Avoid lying in the grass.
• Splash water on your face several times a day to remove accumulated pollen.

What Does the University Health Center Have to Offer?

For your convenience, you have the option of making an appointment with:

• Medical Practitioners - for evaluation, assessment and treatment.
• Allergy Specialist - Board Certified Allergists available three mornings/week for evaluation, treatment and allergy skin testing.
• Nurse-run Allergy Clinic - for assessment and treatment of mild seasonal allergies.
• Group Sessions - available during "peak" allergy season, people with seasonal allergy symptoms without asthma are seen in groups for education, evaluation and treatment.
• The Health Center also has a pharmacy where over-the-counter allergy medicines and pollen masks are available.

If You Want to Learn More About Medications Used to Treat Hay Fever (allergic rhinitis), press here.