Unfortunately, allergies can strike at any time. Symptoms like sneezing, nasal congestion, irritated eyes, or itchy throat are never fun. Learn more about allergies and how to treat symptoms.

What are allergies, anyway?
An allergen triggers an immune response in your body, causing it to produce a histamine chemical. Histamines are responsible for those symptoms, like having a runny nose, a rash, or hives. Histamines are your body’s way of warning you something’s potentially harmful. Unfortunately, a number of environmental factors, like dust, pollen, or grass, trigger that immune response.

How can I treat allergies?
As with many health issues, prevention is your best bet to avoid an allergic reaction. Staying aware of your surroundings is the first step. Do you find your allergies start up at certain times of the year? At certain times of the day? Yes, it’s difficult to avoid allergy triggers if you don’t know what they are, so see if you can narrow down the list of allergy suspects.

• Avoid bringing the outdoors inside.
  Keep windows closed to avoid bringing in outside allergens. Keep shoes outside, or by the door so as not to track in allergen particles. Change clothes after being outdoors and wash as soon as possible.
• Rinse it out.
  Try nasal irrigation (flushing out your nose) to reduce allergens in your nose. Try a Neti pot or boil water and inhale the steam.
• Go over the counter.
  An antihistamine can give you relief from allergies. You may have to experiment to find which form works best for you.

If you need assistance treating your allergies, request an appointment with your PCP or an allergist in the Zest app.