Whoever said a little fresh air never hurt anyone has never tried to drain their sinuses after inhaling pollen all day. When you have bad environmental allergies, there’s nothing invigorating about working outside. Whether we’re talking about hourly work in the field or some weekend-warrior chores in the yard, you may have to get the job done despite some sensitivities you can’t control. When that’s the case, here are some tips for working outdoors with allergies that will allow you to get your work done without having to worry about everything under the sun.
Mask Up!
We’ve all become quite acquainted with wearing face masks in the past year. If you’ve had respiratory symptoms from working outside, don’t hesitate to cover your nose and mouth before you go to work. Specifically, fallen leaves can be a two-pronged attack on a sensitive immune system—the plant matter itself can cause irritation, and the mold that wet and decomposing leaves harbor poses an even bigger threat to your system. Make masking your first step against allergens.
Protective Goggles
We give lots of attention to keeping allergens out of our noses and mouths, but even the eyes can be a route for allergens such as dust, mold spores, and pollen, in some cases even causing a painful case of allergic conjunctivitis. If you’ve finished work and found yourself with itchy eyes, don’t be afraid to use goggles next time you’re out. Not only is this a valuable precaution against reaction-inducing particles, it also protects your eyes from all sorts of hazards that could come from nearby tool use.
Change Your Clothes
Stripping off your clothes and hitting the showers immediately after work may feel a bit gratuitous if you’ve hardly broken a sweat. Regardless of your caloric expenditure, what’s important is that the particles that cause your allergic reactions can come to rest in the fibers of your clothes. This means that you can keep inhaling them or letting them touch your skin long after you’ve come back indoors. When you’re done working outside, give yourself a clean slate with a shower and a fresh change of clothes.
Consult a Doctor
Sometimes all these tips for working outdoors with allergies aren’t enough to keep uncomfortable allergic reactions at bay. In such extreme cases, you may need to speak with a specialist to determine how you can go about living the life you want to live without your allergies encumbering your work or your weekends. Allergy & ENT Associates offers allergy treatment in East Texas for the laborers and chore-doers alike of greater Houston. In other areas, don’t hesitate to seek out the allergist who’s right for you.
