Milk Maid

Allergy season is underway

The green grass and budding leaves and flowers are sure a sight for sore eyes! Speaking of sore eyes, all those blossoming plants can cause my eyes to be sore.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness in the U.S. with an annual cost in excess of $18 billion.

More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies each year, including me. Allergy season is upon us. It’s expected to be worse this year due to all the mold around due to all the flooding we’ve had.

Another reason for increased allergies is the extremely wet winter that we’ve gone experienced. Last spring was the worst allergy season that I’ve ever experienced. I went to urgent care twice and that didn’t help my allergies.

In fact, the medications I was prescribed made things worse.

The pressure in my head was so bad, my vision was impacted too. What saved me was going to the chiropractor and having accupressure done on my face.

Acupressure is an alternative medicine technique similar in principle to acupuncture. In treatment, physical pressure is applied to acupuncture points with the aim of clearing blockages in these meridians.

The chiropractor used different needles on my face and it wasn’t the most fun I had, but it wasn’t terrible. From that experience I learned how to help clear my sinuses myself using those different pressure points and techniques.

To prepare for this allergy season, I’ve switched medications and anytime I feel pressure building, I use the techniques I learned from the chiropractor. So far, so good. I am very allergic to lilacs so fingers crossed that I can enjoy the beauty of the lilacs from a safe distance.

What are some other ways to help nip your allergies in the bud? According to the Mayo Clinic, reducing your exposure to allergy triggers is one of the best things you can do.

To reduce your exposure to the things that trigger your allergy signs and symptoms (allergens):

•Stay indoors on dry, windy days. The best time to go outside is after a good rain, which helps clear pollen from the air.

•Delegate lawn mowing, weed pulling and other gardening chores that stir up allergens.

•Remove clothes you’ve worn outside and shower to rinse pollen from your skin and hair.

•Don’t hang laundry outside, pollen can stick to laundry.

•Wear a pollen mask if you do outside chores.

•Keep indoor air clean.

•Take extra steps when pollen counts are high. Some of these are easier said than done.

When it’s a nice day, it’s tough to resist the temptation to open up the windows or the sun roof of my car. You won’t catch me wearing a pollen mask.

I’m hoping to follow these steps and make it through this sneezy season and I hope my fellow allergy sufferers do too!

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The Minneota Mascot
Address: 201 N. Jefferson
Minneota, MN 56264

Phone:(507) 872-6492