3. Mind Your Meds
When all else fails, it may be time for some chemical warfare. Your strategy: Start simple and add on, say allergists. (BTW, you'll want to see one of these doctors if symptoms make day-to-day life a slog.) Start at the first item on this list, and if two weeks have passed with minimal relief, move on to the next option.
Steroid Nasal Sprays (OTC or Rx)
These meds can reduce the volume of congestion-causing inflammation, but know this: You need to use them daily during pollen season, and they can take up to 14 days to kick in—no fun when you're suffering. Skip nonsteroidal OTC decongestant sprays; studies show they can actually worsen stuffiness.
OTC Antihistamines
A daily pill can ward off swelling and a runny nose; eyedrops can soothe crazy-itchy eyes.
Prescription Montelukast Sodium
When your sneezing and dripping are more stubborn than a bad case of bedhead, these once-a-day pills can short-circuit inflammation higher up in the nasal pathway.
Immunotherapy
Weekly shots may help reprogram your immune system to tolerate whatever sets you off. You may have to get them for up to 28 weeks (and some people need maintenance shots for up to five years), but "they're the closest thing we have to a cure for allergies," says Mainardi. Needlephobes, rejoice: The FDA recently approved Rx immunotherapy tablets that dissolve under the tongue. Take once a day during your trigger allergy season.
For tips on freshening up with makeup when you have allergies and to find out what weird things you might be allergic to, check out the April 2015 issue of Women's Health, on newsstands now.
More from Women's Health:
11 Craptastic Things Only Allergy Sufferers Understand
Why You Need to Worry About the Pollen Vortex
How to Avoid Getting Sick When the Weather Changes