For anyone who suffers from allergies, there is no good time of the year. Spring has its hay fever and pollen; autumn has its molds and tree spores; and winter has high levels of dust.
It seems like with every change of seasons, you find yourself sniffling and sneezing all day long. This feeling is amplified when you’re trying to get through a day at the office while suffering from allergies.
When allergies are severe, you may just want to call out sick. However, we have some tips to help you manage your sneezing, congestion, itchy eyes, and other symptoms of allergies wherever you are.
Discovering the Source of Your Allergy
When you have allergies, it’s important to know the cause of these allergies. While some are simply annoying, others can be life-threatening. If you’re aware of what causes your allergies to flare up, you may be able to curb your exposure to the causes.
Some common causes of workplace allergies include pollen from the outdoors (such as delivering mail), dust from not cleaning or from construction, mold, industrial chemicals, perfumes, and even food.
If you are at work, ask what sort of policies are in place for those suffering with allergies. Surprisingly, many workplaces do have policies limiting the use of perfumes, body sprays, air fresheners, and essential oils. Some even have a “no-fragrance” policy.
If you are seated near an air vent or a dusty area, ask to be moved. If you work in an area that has a smoking section, request to be relocated to another area if possible.
Improve Your Environment and Routine
While you may not be able to completely cater your entire work environment to your needs, you can still make some adjustments or preparations to make every day a bit easier on your sinuses and lungs. Once you have identified the cause of your allergies, you can minimize the impact.
Many times, allergies can affect productivity and quality of work. If your allergies are mild to moderate, speak with your employer about a way to improve the environment or to make exceptions for you.
If you have serious allergies, work with them to build an appropriate allergy response plan. For example, you might need an emergency treatment plan readily available that could include antihistamines, inhalers, and EpiPens.
Find out whether you have an environmental health professional or nurse, and whether they have nebulizers in place. If you need special permission to carry medications on you, be sure to have that documentation in place – and that it is noted in your health records at work. Consider wearing a medical alert bracelet if you are concerned about receiving proper medical response in case of a life-threatening emergency.
Get an Allergy Medication
If you have been diagnosed with seasonal allergies, you are likely already taking medication to suppress flare-ups. The same is true if you suffer from food allergies. But is what you’re taking really right for you? If your medication doesn’t seem to help allay your symptoms, talk to your doctor – or even get a second opinion.
Many people try to tackle allergy symptoms one by one. They may try eye drops for itchy eyes but neglect to take nasal decongestants when they’re feeling stuffy. Antihistamines can relieve a runny nose and itchy eyes, but they may make you less effective at work – and they also may increase your risk of having an accident if they make you tired.
If you want to reduce all the symptoms of your allergies, be sure to get an effective allergy medication and management plan that is unique to your lifestyle and to your work situation. Ask your doctor what is best in your case.
Environmental Causes of Allergies
If you haven’t been diagnosed with allergies but are suffering from symptoms, be sure to check your environmental factors. Sudden onset of allergies could be caused by hidden mold or a ventilation problem. While many allergic exposures are inevitable, some modifications may help to improve your health in the workplace.
If you’re unsure of what could be causing your allergy upsets, speak with your primary care physician or ask to be recommended to an allergy specialist. They may be able to test and diagnose your allergies or refer you to an allergy testing facility near you. The results of this testing will give you a clear understanding of what to avoid, or help you prepare for situations you know will affect you.
Allergy Doctors in Midlands, SC
Here at SC Internal Medicine Associates & Rehabilitation, we offer comprehensive and cost-effective care to our patients. Our goal is to provide optimum healthcare service and treatment for those who are suffering from allergies with our full-service testing.
If you would like to schedule an appointment, contact us today by calling us at (803) 749-1111 or fill out our online appointment request form now. We look forward to helping you reduce your allergy symptoms.
