Allergy season is here in the northeast, and it's making a lot of us uncomfortable. Medication and natural treatments (like doing a nasal saline rinse) can help a lot, but what about air purifiers? Can they really help to ease allergy symptoms—and does the type of air purifier make a difference?
I posed this question to WD health advisory board member Dr. Martha White, research director at the Institute for Asthma & Allergy in Wheaton, Maryland. Here's what I learned:
Yes, air purifiers can help by limiting your exposure to many allergens like pollen, mold and dander from pets. One allergen they won't fight: dust mites. "Dust mites are heavy and not airborne," explains Dr. White.
Which kind to buy: Dr. White recommends choosing one with a HEPA filter. Make sure you buy one that can handle the size of the room you plan to put it in (it should say ont he box). Avoid air purifiers with ionizers; Dr. White says these introduce ozone into the air and can actually trigger asthma symptoms.
Where to put it: In the bedroom, and possibly in the family room ("assuming the family room has a door that can be closed so that the machine isn't being asked to filter the whole house," says Dr. White).
How to get it function best: "Remember to close the windows!" says Dr. White. "A room purifier won't do much if you keep the doors and windows open and expect it to clean the whole house."
Do you use an air purifier? Has it helped ease your allergy symptoms?
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