Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve had the toughest time with allergies. I had to get allergy shots for like, my entire childhood, and I had to take a lot of allergy medications and inhalers when the pollen counts were high. I still take an allergy pill every night as a proactive measure, but recently, my allergies have been almost debilitating. I’m no scientist, but I know the pollen counts have been super high in Northeast Ohio and I’m falling apart. Here are some ways to find relief from the allergens this Spring/Summer.

1. Allergy Pills

Every night, I take a Loratidine (generic Claritin). I’ve tried a lot of allergy pills (Allegra, Zyrtec, Benadryl), but Loratidine has always worked best for me. Take a once-daily allergy pill in the evening, because they reach peak performance between 8-12 hours after you take it, and the morning always seems to be the worst; take twice-daily tablets in the morning and in the evening. Always consult your doctor before beginning a new medication, though, and ask for their advice as well!

2. Nasal Sprays

Sometimes, my nose gets super dry and itchy and I want to rip it off of my face. When that happens, I use a saline spray to keep my nose from being completely dried out. When my nose it itchy and stuffy and I can’t breathe out of it, I use Nasonex or Flonase. Again, check with your doctor to see what’s best for you!

3. Eye drops

My eyes don’t get quite as bad as other allergy sufferers, but they still do get itchy from time to time. I use a lubricant eye drop to help with itching, but I know there are stronger ones out there that have medication in them. I’ve never used them, but I’ve heard they work wonders! Again & again, check with your doctor, especially before sticking something into your eyeballs.

4. Humidifiers

More often during the winter months, my eyes, nose, and mouth dry out a lot, especially when I sleep. I’ve started running a humidifier while I sleep to help eliminate that problem.

5. Essential Oils

I’m fairly new to the essential oil world, but I don’t know how I lived before using them. When my allergies are acting up, or even when I have a cold, I use a diffuser to diffuse peppermint oil into the air. Inhaling it can help unclog sinuses, and it helps reduce inflammation (which can be a leading cause of allergic reactions). I also use Eucalyptus, because it helps improve airflow in your nose and helps to cleanse your body. The last one that I use is Tea Tree Oil, which helps kill bacteria in the air and can help you breathe better.

If there is one thing I hate, it’s not being able to breathe, so I resort to all of these at once sometimes, but be careful and consult your doctor or pharmacist first. Best of luck to my fellow allergy sufferers.