As someone with a severe allergy to dust and pollen, I know how horrible the symptoms are. Your nose feels inflamed, you sneeze, your eyes itch, and you can't stop coughing. It is a total nightmare! But luckily, there are some things you can do. Here are my suggestions.

1. Make sure you take your vitamins consistently before you start cleaning! Taking 1000mg of vitamin C, as well as a multi-vitamin will keep your body healthy and boost your immune system.
2. Allergy sprays like Nasonex or Flonase can help tremendously. You will need to use it at least once a day to help block allergy symptoms. Talk to your doctor about which one is right for you.
3. Allergy medications you take daily are also a great help. I have found that taking allergy medication every day not only helps with my allergies a great deal, but it helps to prevent the damage that allergies do to your nasal passages, so I get colds less often. You will also need to talk to your doctor about getting allergy medication. For those of you with seasonal allergies, you will not need to take them everyday.
4. Wear a mask when dusting, and do not take it off until you have washed your hands.
5. Use a product like Swiffer that completely absorbs the dust so that you do not have to keep dusting.
6. If your allergies are really bad, hire a housekeeper. Allergies do not get better with more exposure, they get worse! So if you are experiencing extreme symptoms such as difficult breathing, you are better off paying someone else to do the job!
7. Make sure you have an inhaler handy. Even if your allergies are not severe, they exposure to dust can cause asthma symptoms. Just knowing that your inhaler is nearby will ease the anxiety associated with difficulty breathing and can also save your life in rare situations.

Learn more about this author, H.G. Hess.
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