10 Tips to Tame Your Winter Allergies

Joan Lehach, M.D., who specializes in allergy, asthma, and clinical immunology at Montefiore Medical Center in New York, reveals what triggers allergy symptoms in the winter and shares 10 tips to help reduce winter allergy symptoms.

As frigid temperatures and unusually snowy conditions over much of the nation continue to keep many Americans indoors, a veteran allergy expert reminds us that staying inside may keep us warm, but it also us gives us prolonged exposure to four powerful indoor allergens capable of triggering a variety of cold and flu-like symptoms. 

"If you experience more than nine days of continuing congestion, coughing, sneezing, watery eyes and nasal drip, chances are good that you are reacting to the presence of either dust mites, cockroaches, animal dander, or mold somewhere in your home, office or school," said Joan Lehach, M.D., integrative medicine physician specializing in allergy, asthma, and clinical immunology at Montefiore Medical Center in New York. "Many times, and especially in the inner city where populations are dense, all four of these allergens are present and must be addressed."

Dr. Lehach's tips for controlling your indoor allergy symptoms:

1. Mold inspection: The first step for controlling your allergy symptoms is to do a little inspection for mold inside the house. The most common places to find it are on shower curtains, wallpaper, carpets and the sink. Mold also grows in the drain, which can be cleaned with bleach and detergent. 

2. Cockroach hunt: Studies have found cockroach allergens to be present in at least half of inner city homes and in nearly three-quarters of inner city schools. Cockroaches do not have to be alive to trigger respiratory problems. Dust containing molecules of crushed carcasses can still cause problems for humans. Professionals can be consulted to discover and clean out hidden colonies. Nesting areas and pathways where cockroaches may have been traveling should be thoroughly cleaned.  

3. Dry up dust mites: Keep your indoor humidity at 50 percent or lower, as higher humidity will breed dust mites. A humidity gauge can be purchased for approximately $5.

4. Filter out animal dander: If you have a pet allergy, you are probably going to need to be on allergy medications until you can consult with an allergist and see if you want to be desensitized or not. Meanwhile, a small HEPA air purifier placed in each room will keep airborne dander from spreading throughout the house. Mice or other fur-bearing pests living under the house or in the attic must be searched for and removed.