HOUSTON — In Houston, fall means the end of the stifling summer heat and the glorious return of cooler temperatures. However, it also means the return of allergies. But you don’t have to suffer in silence.
There are things you can do around the house to stop the sniffles.
Dr. Michael Kaplan of Kaplan Sinus Relief explains.
“We'll look around the house. If you haven't changed your air filters in a few months. That's No. 1. No. 2, you might be allergic to dust mites, those little organisms that grow in the blankets in the bedding, everybody's got it,” Kaplan said.
Kaplan says the next thing to target is your bedding and carpet.
“You can clean the bed and heat up the bedding I say once a month to high temperature and the size of the comforter and clean sheets regularly,” he said. “Look at the carpeting and claim that it certainly if you think there is mold in your environment, your home address that is needed.”
And of course, don’t forget about those ceiling fans.
“And especially the ceiling fan, because folks, I guarantee if there are 10 people listening to this, they're 10 people haven't checked the dust on the ceiling fan,” he said.
Kaplan explained that allergy sufferers should also remember to check their pets.
“And don’t forget about your four-legged friends,” he said. “After being outside make sure you wipe them down. They can bring a lot of pollen from outside in.”
And even with best practices around your home, sometimes you need more help, so if the problem persists see a doctor.
“The No. 1 issue that people come in to see me regarding is congestion, not being able to breathe well through the nose, sinus infections, or sometimes not really being sure if they have an infection or allergies,” he said.