Generally a symptom of spring allergies, a cough protects your body from allergens by clearing mucus and infection from air passages. While your doctor may treat allergies with medication, simple and inexpensive home remedies may relieve a cough and lessen or eliminate allergy symptoms. According to the Mayo Clinic, an allergy-related cough is often accompanied by a runny nose, sneezing and itchy eyes. Contact a physician if you develop a chronic cough, have trouble breathing or cough up blood.
Spring Cleaning
To limit or eliminate exposure to allergens, perform a thorough spring cleaning of windows, air conditioning vents, shelves, and any other items that may collect dust or mold during the winter months. In addition to ridding your house of dust and mold, wash your bedding once a week in hot water. Avoid line-drying laundry; dust and pollen can collect on clothes or linens. Use a dehumidifier to keep mold out of high-moisture areas such as the kitchen, bathroom or basement. Eliminating the triggers of allergy symptoms will likely relieve congestion and ease a dry cough.
Avoid Allergens
Avoid allergens during spring allergy season by staying indoors on windy days and planning outdoor activities later in the day. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology reports that pollens are generally released between the hours of 5 and 10 a.m. Visit the National Allergy Bureau website to find the local pollen count for your area. Keep the windows in your home closed when inside and travel with your windows up. To limit outside allergens in the home, bathe or shower every night. Limiting exposure to allergens helps reduce allergy symptoms such as a cough.
Saline Irrigation
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, a cough is often paired with nasal congestion and postnasal drip due to rhinitis, inflammation of the nasal passages. Clearing out excess mucus provides relief for a cough caused by nasal congestion. Nasal irrigation is a common treatment used to relieve sinus issues caused by allergies and other viral infections. Use a saline solution or spray to clear out mucus and alleviate allergy symptoms. Purchase a saline solution at your local pharmacy or drugstore and use as directed. Saline-based nasal sprays are non-habit-forming and safe to use as often as necessary.
