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Traveling with allergies can be a challenge to say the least.
If you’re like me, you never know when your allergies are going to flare up. Sure, some triggers are easy to avoid or identify. Coconut makes me sick, for example. And my throat swells closed around cigarette smoke. But then there are the times when I wake up looking like someone has punched me in the face: two black eyes and a puffy nose. Those are the days when I simply don’t know what hit me.
As much as I’d like to leave them at home, I know I’ll be traveling with allergies. To make the best of what could be a bad situation, try these three travel hacks.
1. Diffuse Your Problems
Did you know essential oils can help relieve the effects of allergies? They’re not going to save your life if your in anaphylaxis, but they will give you some respite from a bout with pollen.
Pack a travel-sized nebulizer or diffuser to use in your room. Lavender is fantastic for allergies, while peppermint helps with headaches. Try burning essential oils while you sleep, and you’ll likely wake up feeling more refreshed than usual. Worst case scenario, your room will smell fantastic.
Other options for essential oils include roll-ons that fit easily into your purse or cosmetics bag. Rub a little on your wrists or temples to help reduce allergy symptoms. You can often even find essential oil combinations that are specially formulated to provide relief for allergy sufferers.
2. Reduce the Swelling
For days when you wake up looking like a raccoon, you need a little something special to take down the swelling. Invest in a puffy eye pen. Whether or not it gets rid of the swelling, the cool chill always feels good against the eyes.
Another great option is to make a pot of chamomile tea. It’s great for eliminating swelling. If your chest is tight, drink a cup to help loosen things up. Or you can use the tea to reduce hives and other itchy splotches. Once, I was bitten by a mosquito on my eyelid. My eye swelled closed, and not even Benadryl helped. I dipped a facecloth in a cup of chamomile tea and held it over my eye for a few minutes. Days of pain and inflammation were gone in an instant.
3. Carry an Allergy Kit
The last thing you want to think about when heading on vacation is how to handle allergies. For me, this often translates to forgetting things like allergy meds. One way to combat this is to always have an allergy kit ready to toss in your bag. Get a little cosmetics bag, and fill it with allergy essentials, like:
Antihistamines (I prefer Benadryl since it’s fast-acting and non-drowsy)
Hydrocortisone cream
Epipen
Ventolin inhaler
Tissue and hand sanitizer
I like to pretend all of the world’s woes will go the way of the dinosaurs once I step foot on a plane. In a perfect world, this would mean I’d spend everyday allergy free, but that’s simply not the case. What other tips do you have for traveling with allergies? Add your two cents to the conversation in the Wanderlust Wayfarer Facebook group.