Diagnosis and Control of in-House Allergies During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Allergic reactions are a result of foreign materials known as allergens entering your body. You can find allergens everywhere in form of dust, pollen grains, foods, and mold. Your living environment contains plants and animal life that can be the source of allergens.

Do you know if you have hay or cold fever? Your skin might break or have rashes. Some of the common signs and symptoms of allergic reactions include:

• Runny or itchy nose
• Red and teary eyes
• Shortness of breath, especially if you have asthma
• Itchy and raised red rashes on your skin
• Swelling on the face, lips, and tongue

The severity of the symptoms of allergic reactions depends on how you came into contact with the allergens. Therefore, if you suspect you have an allergy problem based on the above symptoms, you should consider in-house allergy testing in a medical clinic near you.

Why Do You Need In-House Allergy Testing?

During the pandemic, you might experience symptoms of allergies that are similar to the COVID-19. Therefore, it is advisable you get tested for allergies as well as COVID-19 for early treatments and control.

After getting tested for in-house allergies at Crosspointe Medical Clinic, the diagnosis will help your doctor to create a treatment plan that might involve oral medications and injections. After the testing, your doctor will give your guidelines on how to prevent allergic reactions in the future.

When you seek in-house allergy testing in Cypress, the test results can indicate the following:

• Food allergies
• Allergic rhinitis or hay fever
• Allergies towards medications such as penicillin
• Bee sting allergies
• Dust, pets, pollen grains, and mold allergies

After confirming an allergy problem, Dr. Kelechi Azuogu will offer an immunotherapy treatment and counsel on how to control your allergies. If you have a food allergy, the doctor can advise you on the foods to eliminate from your diet. If the foods are essential in your diet, your doctor can advise you on the alternatives.

Preventing Allergic Reactions at Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic

If you find out you have an allergy problem such as asthma or hay fever, you should take measures to protect yourself from the allergens. The most effective way of preventing allergies is by avoiding the allergens or eliminating them from the surrounding.

Below are some of the doctor’s recommendations to prevent allergic reactions at home:

Change Your Beddings Regularly

Some of the common allergens in your beddings are dust mites. The dust mites can hide in pillows, mattresses, and upholstered furniture. Therefore, you should encase your pillows and mattresses with allergen-proof covers.

You can also wash your pillow and mattress covers at least once a week using hot water can prevent dust mites, reducing your encounter with allergens during sleep.

Cleaning Your House Regularly

To keep allergens at bay, you should consider keeping your house clean. When cleaning for allergies, you can consider vacuuming using a HEPA filter to keep away pet dander and dust mites.

If you are dusting surfaces in your house, you can use an electrostatic cloth or a microfiber since they hold dust instead of moving it around. When you are dusting the house, you can wear an N-95 filter mask to protect yourself from allergens in dust.

Replace Your Furnace Filters

When you turn on the heat in your kitchen, allergens such as pet dander and dust can lurk into the air ducts. Therefore, you should consider a high-quality furnace filter to reduce the number of allergens that are circulating in your home. For efficiency, you should consider changing the furnace after every 90 days.

Monitor Indoor Humidity Levels

During winter, you might experience dry air. Therefore, most people use humidifiers to keep the air around the house moisturized. However, if you don’t monitor the humidity levels, you might be encouraging the growth of mold in the house.

If the humidity levels are high, you can use a vent fan or dehumidifier to remove moisture from the house.

Avoid Contact with Sources of Allergens

When you seek allergy services during the COVID-19 pandemic at our medical clinic, the doctor can advise you to avoid some sources of allergens such as flowers, pets, and walls with molds. If you touch a source of allergens, you should wash your hands with warm water and soap.