He tried bloodletting, cutting calories, taking cold baths, and even dosing himself with opium and mercury...
But all he had to do to find relief from the red, itchy eyes, sneezing, difficulty breathing, and runny nose that plagued him was to hole up in his house for a few weeks.
That was John Bostock, the English physician who, in 1819, became the first to formally document the misery of seasonal allergies. Today, we're all too familiar with the same invisible threat floating in the air outside.
And with spring comes plenty of time to be active outside (getting your daily dose of vitamin D), but it also brings with it an evil that millions of us suffer through: pollen.
Pollen season is longer than ever in the U.S...
In fact, a recent analysis from Climate Central of nearly 200 cities found that the "freeze free" growing season has stretched by an average of three weeks since the 1970s. In some regions, it's more than a month longer.
It doesn't help that carbon pollution has been on the rise. These heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions are acting like a fertilizer for pollen production. That means allergy seasons are starting earlier, lasting longer, and feeling more intense... leaving in their wake millions of Americans plagued by coughing, sneezing, and itchy eyes.
These unlucky folks are experiencing seasonal allergic rhinitis – or "hay fever." And this time of year, plants dormant during the winter come back to life, releasing pollen throughout the season.
But not everyone has allergies in the spring. Exactly how and when you experience symptoms depends on your trigger allergen...
Seasonal allergies occur when your immune system treats pollen as an invader... producing antibodies to defend your body... and causing stuffiness, sneezing, itchy eyes, and coughing.
There is no cure for seasonal allergies, and the most common drugs folks use to relieve symptoms have harmful side effects. For example...
Claritin is one of the most popular go-tos for allergy sufferers. It blocks histamine (the chemical that causes allergy symptoms) to prevent allergies. But its side effects include drowsiness, headaches, and dry mouth. It can also raise your blood pressure.
Benadryl is another popular drug to treat allergies. Benadryl is a type of anticholinergic, which blocks the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in our nervous system. This class of drugs relaxes nerves in many of our body's systems. That includes the cardiovascular system, the gastrointestinal tract (the digestive system), and the lungs. People take these drugs for problems like allergies, depression, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Parkinson's disease, and even for an overactive bladder.
But a 2019 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that long-term use of anticholinergics (which Benadryl falls under) might increase your risk of dementia. While the study was observational, researchers did see that taking anticholinergics for three-plus years was linked to a 54% higher risk of developing dementia, compared with those who took medication for just a few months.
Nasal sprays are a non-pill way to treat congestion from allergies. But the relief is only temporary and can actually cause your nasal lining to swell, leading to even more congestion. And overuse can lead to holes in your nasal septum. Worse, the drugs can permanently kill your sense of smell.
Or you could try allergy shots, which work by regularly injecting small doses of the allergen causing your allergic reaction. However, they can take years to become effective and can have dangerous complications, like anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic reaction).
Seven Ways to Survive Allergy Season
I try not to use these potentially harmful drugs. So if you're like me and you want to avoid drugs... these alternative solutions can help reduce your allergy symptoms.
1. Plan your day. Pollen counts often soar around midday, so you can still enjoy going outdoors in the mornings and evenings. Plenty of weather websites track pollen counts and help you plan your outdoor activities. Not to mention, you can also get the air quality report for the day, too. Because allergies aside, you want to protect yourself from nearly invisible, airborne nasties that can do more than just make you feel miserable for a few months... They can even damage your lungs, heart, and lead to early death. I talked about it in this issue of Retirement Millionaire.
2. Choose where you vacation carefully. If you are allergic to mold, for example, destinations with cooler temperatures will have fewer mold allergens. If you are allergic to pollen, places near the coast have lower levels of pollen. You can look up the allergy forecast for a specific state or county at AirCompare or find state-specific allergy triggers on the Weather Channel.
If you have allergies to feathers or common dust mites, it's a good idea to bring your own pillow. Small inns and bed-and-breakfast places are popular, but make sure to double-check with the owners about their pets. They may allow their dog or cat in common areas. If you have a strong allergy to either, check first. And remember, the air conditioner won't just keep you cool... It will filter out common allergens, too, so make sure to run it in your hotel room.
So do what I do and plan ahead. And pack a hypoallergenic pillow cover just in case.
3. Keep your air filters clean. I keep an air purifier with a true HEPA filter in my bedroom, and I clean it once a week.
But it's not the only filter to think about...
Clean out and replace filters in your central heating and cooling system as well as your gas furnace. Dirty filters reduce airflow, which puts a strain on your system.
In the kitchen, be sure to clean the filters on your range hood and microwave fans. Not all models contain filters. But if they do, take them out and clean off all the grease and debris. That way, the fan won't blow out all the germs and grit next time you run it.
4. Use a neti pot. The neti pot is another one of my preferred methods to cut down on allergies. This is an old Hindu device used to wash the sinuses.
But if you try it, be careful... and follow the instructions. If you don't use sterilized or distilled water, brain-eating organisms found in tap water can enter the brain through your sinuses. In late 2011, two deaths in Louisiana were blamed on the improper use of a neti pot.
5. Hop in the shower. That would be taking a shower as soon as you step in the door and washing the clothes worn outside on those high-pollen-count days.
6. Watch your indoor humidity. As the weather starts warming up, you might be tempted to ditch the humidifier... But a March 2025 Johns Hopkins Medicine study found that breathing air that's too dry can severely dehydrate your airways. This triggers an inflammatory response that mimics and worsens allergy and asthma symptoms. So make sure that the relative humidity indoors is at least 30%. (Keeping it below 50% is a good idea for mold prevention.)
7. Double-check for dangerous drug overlaps. This is especially crucial for older folks on multiple daily prescriptions. Topping off that regimen with a simple over-the-counter allergy pill could lead to dangerous drug interactions. For instance, decongestants (like those with pseudoephedrine) can dangerously spike your blood pressure, undoing the work of any blood-pressure meds you're on. So always have your pharmacist run a quick interaction check before adding a new allergy remedy to your arsenal.
Finally, if your allergies get especially bad, don't suffer in silence – make a doctor's appointment. Your doctor may prescribe medications. (One colleague in our office says his airways get so constricted in the spring, his doctor prescribes asthma medications.)
Got any good allergy tips? Share them with us at feedback@healthandwealthbulletin.com.
Want to build your wealth – while safeguarding the health you need to actually enjoy it? Check out Retirement Millionaire today for my monthly actionable strategies to nurture your nest egg and keep you feeling your best.
What We're Reading...
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Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
March 10, 2026