Indoor Allergies Health Center

While allergies cannot be fully cured, there are treatments available available to actively regulate them and actions that can be taken to prevent future reactions. Many preventative actions depend on the allergen involved.

There are many over-the-counter medications available to treat indoor allergy symptoms. Speak with your doctor, allergist or pharmacist about what medication is right for you and your symptoms.

For cockroach allergy, cockroach extermination can reduce cockroach allergen levels in inner-city homes. A simple call to an exterminator may help with allergy reactions to cockroaches.

Lowering the humidity in your household can also help with indoor allergies. Adequate control of your home's humidity levels involving moisture control and improved ventilation may reduce reactions. Increased humidity is also associated with higher levels of cockroach and mold allergens.

Pet allergies may be trickier to treat and prevent. If the allergies are severe or uncomfortable enough, you may need to remove pets from your home if possible. If this is not possible for you or your family, try to keep them from bedrooms and confined to areas around the home that don't have carpet or upholstered furniture. Give your pets a bath weekly to reduce the amount of allergens on them. When near rodents, make sure to wear a dust mask and gloves. Avoid contact with any kind of soiled litter cage and wash your hands and clothes after playing with your pet. Dust and clean your home often to reduce allergen build up.

Mold that grows indoors and outdoors can contribute and cause allergies. Use a dehumidifier or air conditioner to keep your home's humidity levels below 50%. Make sure to vent bathrooms and clothes dryers to outside and run your bathroom and kitchen vents while bathing and cooking. Check faucets, pipes, and ductwork for possible leaks and remove any decaying debris from your yard, roof, and gutters. When you first turn on your home or car air conditioning system, step out to avoid mold spore dispersal. Avoid raking leaves or doing yard work such as working around or with peat, mulch, hay, or dead wood. If working with these substances are necessary, wear a mask and gloves and try to limit this work to non-hot and non-humid days.

Lowering your humidity will also help prevent dust mites. For further protection, encase your mattress and pillows in dust-proof or allergen proof covers. Wash your bedding once a week in hot water. Bedding that is no-washable can be frozen overnight to kill dust mites as well. Replace any wool or feathered bedding with synthetic materials. Bare floors are also better protection against dust mites than carpet. If possible, replace carpet with linoleum, tile or wood flooring. Take down fabric curtains, upholstered furniture and unwashable stuffed animals. Always use a damp cloth while dusting, never a dry one. And when vacuuming, use either a double-layered microfilter bag or a HEPA filter to trap allergens. Make sure to wear a mask while cleaning.

To prevent allergies that arise from cigarette smoke, stop smoking and steer clear of those that do.  

Review Date: 
April 19, 2012
Last Updated:
July 1, 2013
Source:
dailyrx.com