Allergens, Vacations, and Your Car

Ah, it’s vacation time and you’re set to travel, maybe to get away from those allergies at home. Well, hold on, they may go on that trip with you if you are driving.

You may even pick up some new ones. A vacation can actually trigger an allergy attack, because it often brings a change in climate, foliage, and accommodations.  While you can’t allergy-proof your vacation, you can take steps to minimize the effects allergies might have on your vacation.

Why might your allergies be worse in a car?  Because the trapped heat inside a car dries out your mucous membranes and makes them more susceptible to allergens, inflammation and general discomfort. And with the cost of gas being what it is, you really want to enjoy that vacation, not be saddled with allergies that sap your energy and your pleasure.

So to help prevent car allergies, begin by using your air conditioner, which traps dust, pollen and other allergens. Turn it on ten minutes before you get in the car, preferably with the windows open. This will help remove dust mites and molds from the AC system. Then, when you are ready to go, use the “recirculate” setting during peak allergy times…early morning and evening, instead of pulling in fresh air from outside. 

Check the local allergy forecast at your destination. Plan to be prepared for high pollen count days that may cause symptoms to flare and don’t forget your medications.

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