Have you ever had a bad day in the middle of an important meeting, or have you fallen asleep during a meeting because of an allergy medication? Dealing with allergies at home is tough. How much more challenging is it to deal with them while working in the office? In fact, allergy symptoms are the second leading cause of absenteeism among adults.
Studies show that an allergic worker will miss about an hour of work per week over the course of a year. But this time off often occurs during peak allergy seasons. Some studies have found that during a week with high levels of pollen, some people can lose up to 32 hours of work. This is called "presenteeism." Simply put, you come to the office and sit in your chair, but your mind is not working. Your body is not working. It's like 'it looks like you're there, but you're not.' It's also been found that this reduces work efficiency by about 10%.
So how do we manage this allergy at the office?
Medical experts recommend a three-pronged approach to this. That is, we need to follow three main steps to control this.
1. Accurate diagnosis : Finding out exactly what you are allergic to.
2. Environmental Control: Minimizing allergens in your work environment.
3. Medication: Using appropriate medications, if necessary.
The first thing you need to do is to accurately diagnose the disease. Even if you think you have ALL ergy, there's a good chance you're wrong.
First, find out exactly what you are allergic to.
Many people wonder what causes their allergies, but that can be completely wrong. You can start to control it by staying away from the things that cause you allergies, but it can be very challenging if you don't know exactly what you're allergic to.
Imagine, you think you're allergic to dust, but in reality you're allergic to dust mites in the office carpet. Or it could be mold particles coming through the office AC.
Therefore, the best thing to do is to see an allergist , a doctor who specializes in allergies , and get the necessary tests done to find out exactly what you are allergic to. Once you know that, you can think about ways to reduce your exposure to those things. At home, it is easy to control the environment. But there are things we can do at the office too.
Small things that can make your office allergy-free
While large office buildings have air filtration systems, these problems can be more common in smaller offices. You can ask your office manager if you can replace the air conditioning system filters with high-efficiency filters. HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters are a great solution for this.
If you have a separate room to yourself, you can bring a small portable HEPA filter that you can keep near your desk. This removes tiny particles of dust, pollen, and pet dander from the air that you can't see. For example, if someone in your office has a dog or cat at home, the pet dander on their clothes can get into the air in the office. This filter will catch those things.
Try these things to improve the office environment :
| What can be done (Action) | The benefit of it |
|---|---|
| Ask to remove the carpet from your room or cubicle. | Carpets are a place where dust, dust mites, and other allergens collect. |
| Keep the air conditioning (AC) on. | AC filters remove some allergens from the air, which is better than having the windows open. |
| Avoid bringing things like chair cushions and stuffed animals into the office. | Dust and allergens easily accumulate in soft items made from fabrics like this. |
| If there is water damage in the office, ask for it to be repaired. | Mold can grow in damp places. Mold is a strong allergen. |
| Plan your day. | If the weather forecast says it's a high-pollen day, eat at the office cafeteria instead of going out. If you have outdoor meetings, try to meet in the evening rather than the morning, as pollen is highest in the morning. |
If your allergies are not severe, you may be able to control your symptoms with these environmental controls alone. However, people with moderate to severe allergies usually need medication to control symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose , sneezing, and headaches. However, the side effects that come with those medications are a separate issue.
How do you choose the right allergy medicine for you?
The biggest side effect of many allergy medications is drowsiness . So rather than being a zombie all day, try treating individual symptoms before taking systemic medications.
For example, if your biggest problem is a stuffy nose, use nasal sprays. If your eyes are watery, use eyedrops, such as natural tears, to flush out allergens from your eyes.
But not all medications are created equal. Some over-the-counter nasal sprays, such as Afrin, can cause symptoms to get worse if you stop using them (a rebound effect). So, don't stop using any medication without talking to your doctor.
So what if these methods don't work? First-generation antihistamines, such as Benadryl, can help you sleep better. But newer second- and third-generation antihistamines (such as Allegra and Claritin) don't cause as much sleep. So you can use them while you're at work. While they can help control mild to moderate allergies, they may not be very effective for severe allergies.
Whatever medication you choose, be proactive in your treatment.
"The most important thing is to take your medication regularly. Many people think that you need to take medication when your allergies are really bad. But really, if you want to control your symptoms and function properly at the office, you need to start taking your medication before allergy season even starts, before your symptoms get out of control."
If your allergies are still interfering with your work, the next step may be immunotherapy , or allergy shots. This is like gradually exposing your body to the allergen. Initially, you will be given an injection once or twice a week, and over time, you will be given an injection once a month. This is the best way to control your allergies in the long term. However, this should be decided in consultation with your doctor.
Take-Home Message
- Instead of guessing what you're allergic to, see a specialist and get a proper checkup.
- Control your office environment. Use a HEPA filter if possible, remove dusty items, and pay attention to the AC filter.
- If you are taking medication, choose a medication that is less sleepy and that is right for you, based on your doctor's advice. Never use medication on the advice of others or on your own.
- You can better control your symptoms by taking medication regularly before the allergy season begins, rather than waiting until symptoms become severe.
- If current treatments are not effective, talk to your doctor about long-term solutions such as immunotherapy .
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