Allergy & Asthma Awareness Month | Faulkner's Drug Store
Did you know that May is recognized as National Allergies and Asthma Awareness Month? Unfortunately, far too many Americans with seasonal allergies don’t think about managing their allergies until they start to experience symptoms. An important part of the month of May is educating our community about the steps they can take before allergy symptoms begin to pester them. This May, Faulkner’s Drug Store wants to raise awareness about Allergy PREP.
Allergy PREP is an initiative begun by the AAFA (The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America) to help encourage people with seasonal allergies to plan ahead and be prepared. The acronym PREP stands for Prepare, REview, and Plan. Here’s what that means for you:
Prepare.
The first thing you should do to prepare is to educate yourself about the cause of your seasonal allergy symptoms. That means identifying your triggers so you can eliminate or avoid them.
Review your strategy.
Do you have a strategy in place to manage your seasonal allergies? If you know what your triggers are, it’s time to consider the steps you must take to limit your exposure, or avoid it entirely depending upon your particular allergens.
Plan an allergy appointment.
If you already know you have seasonal allergies, your best defense lies in preparation. Make an appointment with your allergist or doctor to discuss your symptoms, treatments and plans. You’ll get expert help to make sure you’re as prepared as possible.
Are you planning to travel this spring or summer? There are steps you can take to be prepared for your allergies away from home too:
Since dust mites are a common problem in motels and hotels, it’s a smart idea to bring your own pillow and hypoallergenic cover.
Be sure to pack all allergy medications and some to spare. If you have food or bee sting allergies, or other severe allergies that could result in an anaphylactic reaction, remember the EpiPens. Pack two EpiPens and always carry one with you.
If you’re taking a road trip, run the car’s AC for 10 minutes before you leave. Try to start your trip in the early morning or late evening, so you can encounter less traffic and air pollution.
When you get to your destination, turn on the air conditioning and keep the doors and windows closed to dramatically reduce indoor pollen exposure. Just like at home, be sure to shower and change your clothes if you’ve been outdoors to pollen from transferring indoors.
Do you have questions about better managing your allergies or asthma? Our friendly pharmacists are pleased to offer tips and help you when you stop by the drug store. Like us on Facebook to stay updated with more healthy tips this summer and stop by the drug store when you need us!