Reduce Exposure to Allergens in Your Car - Brief Article

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), April, 2001

Early morning hours are the worst time of day for allergy sufferers to be outside or in their cars, due to high pollen and mold counts. This poses an unavoidable problem for commuters on their way to work.

"Exposure to allergies in the morning can cause a dual-phase allergy response," notes Raymond G. Slavin, director of the Division of Allergy and Immunology, Saint Louis (Mo.) University School of Medicine. "Commuters exposed to pollens and mold early in the morning experience an immediate reaction of itchy eyes, runny nose, and cough. Throughout the afternoon, this same morning allergen exposure produces a second wave, the late-phase response, consisting of more subtle symptoms such as nasal obstruction, fatigue, and sinus problems. Both the immediate and late-phase symptoms increase when pollution or tobacco smoke are in the car."

Commuters can significantly reduce their exposure to allergens on the way to work and dramatically cut down their allergy symptoms for the rest of the day by including environmental control measures in their morning routines, Slavin suggests:

* Keep car windows rolled up.

* Use the recirculating air option in your vehicle vs. pulling fresh air in from outside.

* Replace automobile carpets and upholstery, or have mold-directed cleanup of past water damage.

* If you or a family member have pet allergies, never let your animals in the car. If they have been there in the past, steam clean the upholstery and wipe down all surfaces with a damp cloth.

* Use sunglasses or eyeglasses to help shield eyes from pollen grains blowing in the wind. Sunglasses with wrap-around sides are especially helpful.

* Wear eyeglasses instead of contact lenses on a high-pollen-count day. Pollen grains can get trapped under the lens, causing tearing and itching.

* Besides using environmental control measures, take antihistamines well ahead of leaving home. They must be digested in order to control allergic reactions effectively.