HealthInfo West Coast-Te Tai Poutini
Self-care for allergies
The best way to prevent an allergic reaction is to identify the substances that trigger your allergy and try to avoid them.
Here are some tips to avoid some common allergens and help minimise allergic symptoms.
Dust mites
You can never get rid of all the dust mites in your house, but these measures can help reduce their numbers.
- If possible, replace wall-to-wall carpets with hard flooring such as floorboards.
- Clean non-carpeted floors with a wet or electrostatic mop rather than using a vacuum cleaner.
- Clean carpets two to three times each week with a vacuum cleaner that has a suitable filter.
- Dust surfaces with a damp or electrostatic cloth two to three times weekly.
- Remove fluffy, stuffed toys from your child's bedroom or wash them weekly in hot water. Putting soft toys in the freezer overnight kills mites but doesn't remove allergens.
- Remove soft, upholstered furniture from the bedroom.
- Select furniture that is upholstered in vinyl or leather rather than cloth.
- Aim for good ventilation throughout your house to avoid moist air build-up.
- Try to sleep with windows open to reduce the amount of moisture in the bedroom from breathing.
Pollen
- Keep the garden free of highly allergenic plants.
- Try to stay indoors at times when the pollen count is at its highest. For example, the early evening.
- Get someone else to mow your lawn.
- Close your bedroom windows at night to prevent pollen entering.
- Wear wrap-around sunglasses to avoid pollen getting into your eyes.
- Have a shower and wash your hair at night to wash away pollen you may have collected during the day.
Animal dander
- If possible, keep pets outside.
Skin allergies
- Avoid strong soaps, perfumes and household cleansing products that may irritate sensitive skin.
Insect bites and stings
- Make sure you wear footwear outdoors.
- Cover your arms and legs.
- Do not make sudden moves when bees or wasps are around.
- Avoid strong perfume as it can attract insects.
- Wear gloves when gardening.
- Use insect repellent.
Food allergies
- If you have food allergies, know what they are and avoid those foods. A consultation with a dietitian can help you work out how to do this and still have a healthy, balanced diet. Ask your general practice team for a referral to a dietitian.
Carry adrenaline
If you're at risk of life-threatening allergic reactions, you always need to carry adrenaline with you. You also need to learn how to use an adrenaline auto-injector (EpiPen) correctly. See Anaphylaxis for details.
For tamariki (children) with allergies, parents or caregivers should be familiar with how to use the EpiPen. Partners of adults should also be familiar with these devices.
Allergic reaction action plan
Allergic reactions can cause a variety of symptoms ranging from mild to moderate reactions, through to severe and life-threatening reactions (anaphylaxis). You and your whānau (family) need to be able to recognise the signs of an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis and know what to do in an emergency.
An allergic reaction action plan is a written document that outlines what to do if you have an allergic reaction.
Here are two plans from the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA):
Always carry your allergy action plan or put your action plan somewhere accessible easily in your home. If you do not have an action plan, ask your general practice team to fill one out with you.
Wear a medical bracelet or necklace
Wear a medical bracelet or necklace saying what you're allergic to. This can be very helpful for health professionals when treating you.
Remind your healthcare team
Always remind your general practice team or pharmacist of your allergies before starting any new treatment, including complementary, over-the-counter or herbal medicines.
Content shared between HealthInfo Canterbury, KidsHealth and Health Navigator NZ as part of a National Health Content Hub collaborative. Page created July 2022.
SourcesReview key: HIALL-38559
