If you’re familiar with springtime in Arizona, then you are more than familiar with the household allergies that accompany it. Signs of allergies occur when the immune system is reacting to a foreign substance, most commonly pollen, mold, animal dander, and dust mites. Unfortunately, these are all things that you can be exposed to inside or around your home. In addition, there are dozens of other odd and unique things you would never imagine would spark your allergies. If you’ve noticed an increase in sniffles and sneezes at home lately, consider these common and uncommon household allergies that may be affecting you.
What Causes Household Allergies
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that your bedroom is the most allergen-prone room in the house. This is due to the dust mites that occupy your mattress, comforter, and pillow casings. An easy way to avoid this issue is by putting hypoallergenic casings on your bed and pillows, or wash them on a frequent basis. Carpet is also a huge contender for collecting dust mites and pet dander (especially cat fur), which is why wood or tile flooring is a better option. Mold is also a problem for bathrooms and basements when wood is in contact with moisture daily. Equally, indoor potted plants can grow mold on their leaves easily if overwatered or under-trimmed. One of the biggest household allergies that most people don’t consider is the allergens cycled through your heating and air conditioning vents. This causes the quality of air inside your home to be worse than the air outside, so getting your ducts professionally cleaned or purchasing a reliable air purifying filter is the only way to keep the air fresh. Paying attention to these common household allergies can help you steer clear of inducing asthma or sinus infections. Click to learn how to create an allergy free home and protect your family.Unusual or Rare Indoor Allergens
Even if you are somehow able to allergy-proof your house, there are plenty of unusual items that you would you would never expect to give you allergies. For instance, many people are allergic to certain brands of deodorants that cause rashes and irritated skin. Some allergies are even caused by hair products that trap pollen on the surface of your hair all day. Things like leather shoes, synthetic fabrics, and latex can spark allergies from the chemicals they are made from. If you begin to randomly experience allergic symptoms after a recent purchase, you may want to consider what it’s made of and how it retains heat or moisture that attract allergens.Allergenic Plants in Arizona
Many Arizonans don’t notice a change in their allergies until they spend a little time outdoors. Arizona is home to many plants that produce pollen that is spread by the wind through the cooler months of spring. You may want to check your front/back yard or areas around your home for these types of AZ plants that produce pollen:- Triangle-leaf bursage
- Desert ragweed
- Desert broom
- Wing scale
- Mesquite
- PaloVerde
- Olive tree
- White Mulberry tree
- Russian Thistle
- Australian Saltbush
- Bermuda grass
How to Minimize Your Allergies
It’s tough enough dealing with seasonal allergies, but household allergies can be even more difficult to escape. There are a few tricks to minimizing the allergens you bring into your home such as taking off your shoes indoors or washing your hair before going to bed. You can also replace air filters and check out your daily forecast to see what days are best for keeping your doors and windows closed. However, the best solution is undoubtedly is visiting a primary care physician that offers allergy and asthma care programs. Arrowhead Health Centers hopes to provide a useful diagnosis through allergy testing and treatments that suit your specific needs. This way, you can be fully prepared to fight your allergies back when the seasons change this year.
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