Consider testing for allergies
The only way to be positive your symptoms stem from allergies is
to go to a doctor for testing, says Michael J. Welch, MD,
codirector of the Allergy and Asthma Medical Group and Research
Center in San Diego. Once you know exactly which allergens you
react to, you and your doctor can come up with a personalized
treatment strategy, which might include medication, a series of
allergy shots or simply avoiding any culprits that affect you.
There are two main methods of testing for allergies:
Blood test: With this kind of test -- known as a
radioallergosorbent test, or RAST -- a sample of your blood will be
sent to a lab. The sample will be exposed to allergens, and if
allergic antibodies in your blood attach to the allergen, it means
you are allergic to that particular offender.
Skin-prick test: Your doctor will scratch your skin with
small amounts of different possible allergens (mold, pollen and cat
dander, to name a few). Next, she will look for any red, swollen
spots where an allergen was applied, which would indicate an
allergic reaction. This method is most commonly used in testing for
allergies, because the results are immediate and it's less
expensive than a RAST.
Know the safest times to go outside
Pollen is the most common springtime troublemaker for people
suffering from allergies. To minimize symptoms, you need to be
strategic about stepping out.
Check your watch. The concentration of pollen in the air is
generally highest in the morning, so if you exercise outdoors or
spend other time outside, do it later in the day -- between, say, 3
p.m. and 6 p.m. -- during allergy season.
Check the weather. People tend to have fewer hay-fever
symptoms on cloudy days than they do under hot, dry and windy
conditions, when pollen is more likely to be blowing through the
air. Under the latter circumstances, it's best to stay indoors as
much as possible to prevent symptoms from flaring up. Sign up with
the National Allergy Bureau for a daily e-mail that will let you
know the concentration of pollen in your area (
www.aaaai.org).