How to Overcome Seasonal Allergies for COPD Patients?
Seasonal allergies affect the majority of people. Individuals with COPD are more likely to be adversely impacted by any subsequent condition that makes breathing more difficult.
COPD patients must be aware of any potential irritants and triggers that may aggravate their symptoms. Some people who have COPD also have allergies or asthma. Dealing with the overlapping symptoms of allergies or asthma may make it more challenging to treat COPD.
Let's look at how seasonal allergies might influence COPD and solutions to overcome them.
What Causes Seasonal Allergies?
Allergies caused by changing seasons are quite a common condition. Seasonal allergies cause itching, droopy eyelids, and stuffy noses in millions of people.
About 20 to 30 per cent of India’s population suffer from allergic rhinitis/hay fever, and approximately 15 per cent develop asthma. Pollen is considered a major outdoor airborne allergen responsible for allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis in people.
These symptoms appear when your immune system responds to allergens, such as dust, pollen, mould, and pet dander. Your immune system causes specific cells to create chemicals like histamines, causing allergic reactions.
Patients with COPD appear to be more vulnerable to other respiratory disorders. Of course, if you have COPD, you may have difficulty breathing without adding allergens to the air!
What steps can you take to prevent common allergens?
If you have COPD, try to limit your exposure to irritants and pollutants in the home, such as smoke and air fresheners. You may also need to avoid common aerosol allergens, particularly if you have breathing conditions, environmental allergies, or ACOS. Airborne pollutants can be tricky to avoid completely, but precautions can help limit your exposure.
The following are some precautions that you can take:
Take a test
People who feel they might have allergies or think their allergy symptoms aggravate COPD should see a doctor for allergy testing. Giving your doctor a thorough medical history is a crucial first step in determining a diagnosis and suggesting the best allergy medicine for COPD patients.
Before doing an allergy test, the allergist enquires about your medical history and performs a physical assessment. Identifying a person's specific allergy triggers may assist them in avoiding allergens and common symptoms.
Declutter and Clean Your Surroundings
A cluttered living environment means dust and allergens have more room to accumulate and settle. Allergies may develop as a result of this. Keeping your living space clean and clutter-free keeps allergies at bay. Changing one's clothes and shoes and showering as soon as you get home may also help to avoid carrying allergens in from the outside.
Make Use of An Air Purifier
Using air humidifiers or filters can help to minimize allergens in the home atmosphere. Operating an air conditioner or heater can also help trap very small particles, including dust, dander, and pollen. To ensure that the filter is working properly, it should be changed regularly.
Spend More Time Indoors
People with allergies should try to limit their exposure to pollen or dust as much as possible. If a person's dust allergies are very strong at a particular time of the year, staying inside when the allergen is in the air may be helpful. This usually happens in the morning or early afternoon.
Reduce Pet Dander
For some, allergies can turn worse by the dander from their pets' skin. If you have a pet and are allergic to them, keep the pet away from your sleeping area. You must also clean up pet hair, bathe, and brush their fur regularly to minimize allergens.
COPD is a chronic respiratory illness that impairs how effectively the lungs work. Environmental factors can make it difficult for people with COPD to breathe. An allergic reaction can aggravate symptoms in COPD or asthma patients.
To limit one's exposure to allergens, it is necessary to undertake some lifestyle modifications. This step helps to minimize any potential symptoms. Anyone who suffers from COPD or asthma, should consult a doctor about their treatment and find out if they react to any allergens.
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