Oh yeah, harmattan season is here again, gracing you with its cold, chilly, dust haze and dry presence from the Sahara desert. It is one season people dread, especially people with respiratory problems. While for others it is a season they can’t wait to experience every year.
Harmattan usually presents itself from November to February. During this period, allergic reactions are being experienced by some folks especially asthmatic patients or people with respiratory tract infections. These allergies could be triggered by cold, dust, or pollen.
So now that harmattan is here, how can you manage your allergies? Below are proven ways that can see you through the season.
1. For respiratory allergies
With the presence of dust haze in the atmosphere, it is likely for you to breathe in some which may cause inflammation in your nostril, trachea, and lungs which may lead to cold, cough, catarrh, and asthma episodes. For the elderly, it may lead to arthritis.
To manage this, always put on protective clothing that covers almost all of your body, and do not forget to cover your nose with a nose mask or clean handkerchief.
2. For dry skin allergies
This type of skin that suffers mostly during harmattan is dry skin.
To manage this, always apply a good moisturizer that locks in moisture and drinks plenty of clean water whenever you get the chance. Plus covering the body with clothes could help.
3. For eye allergies e.g Conjunctivitis
During the harmattan season, people mostly get the pink eye infection popularly known as Apollo. It leaves your eyes painful as pain and red like peppers.
To manage this, always keep a good eye drop medication with you to ease pain and itchiness. Plus put on sunglasses to block the sun from reaching the eyes and to prevent others from contacting it.
Other tips you could use are;
•Avoid or reduce outdoor activities if you have allergies
•wear clothes that keep your body warm
•Get medical help if you have a stuffy nose, runny nose, and cough
•For asthmatic patients, always be with your inhalers during the harmattan season.
• Take vitamin supplements to boost your immune system.
Conclusion
Allergic reactions may be a lot to handle but with these techniques, you can best manage them. In cases of severe allergies, do not hesitate to call on a medical practitioner to prevent health complications.
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