Theoretically, we should usually breathe freely, with ease, through our noses, all day and night. Fighting for air is miserable and harmful; if you must open your mouth to breathe when not exercising hard for more than a couple of weeks a couple of times a year, find out why and fix the problem before it harms your health. Toughing AR out is for uninformed masochists; no one should have to live that way. If your doctor suspects AR, have her refer you to an allergist for specific, simple tests to determine exactly what you’re allergic to. Then avoid it.
Hallelujah! You’re cured. End of article, end of problem, end of clawing at your eyes with your fingernails.
Alas, now back to the real world. We can’t all move away from juniper trees, avoid cats, eliminate all molds from our house and yard, or make people on the street stop bathing in perfume. Ragweed pollen can drift across several states, we ain’t going to fire Rover, and those electronic breeze air cleaners do nothing for AR and actually exacerbate your asthma. They’re TEEVEE, folks, not science.
Really, though, avoiding your specific allergens is your first line of defense. Once your allergist has identified them, choose from this menu to avoid the ones that set you off:
Stay in your closed home or office more during pollen season and especially on windy days in high pollen count periods (watch the TV weather and/or look for pollen in the air or on your car). Pollen production depends more on the calendar than on the weather, but in its season, it tends to peak early on warm, dry, breezy mornings.
Get rid of the cat, replace your carpeting with washable rugs, and/o replace your mattress. Cats are major 24/7 dander producers, there are no allergen-free cats or cat treatments, and their dander hangs around for many years in a mattress.
Run HEPA air filters in the closed bedroom 24/7. AC filters, duct cleaning, hypoallergenic bedding with pore size > 6 microns (the majority), and high-end vacuum cleaners don’t stop dust mites.
Keep Chewbacca outside during pollen season (he’s a walking pollen magnet even if you’re not allergic to his dander).
Choose between your hay fever and your smoking spouse (any smoke cranks your AR way up).
Shower and launder more often.
Reduce household molds by dehumidifying the house, fixing leaks, and sealing a damp basement.
Wash your bedding in hot water, and don’t even think about drying your laundry outdoors during your allergy season.
To help remove allergens you’ve already inhaled, flush your nasal passages with saline solution, AKA salt water. Buy Salinex or Ocean, or add half a teaspoon salt and a pinch of baking soda to a cup of water, and snort a handful. The homemade version stays safely sterile for only a day; mix a fresh batch each day.
