Do you suffer from seasonal allergies? These tech products could give you relief. – USA TODAY

About 50 million Americans experience some type of allergies, and about half have seasonal allergies, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
Sometimes referred to as hay fever, outdoor allergies or seasonal allergic rhinitis, being allergic during a specific season is different from an allergy that appears when skin is exposed to a substance, food or drugs.
Seasonal allergic symptoms occur when trees, grass and weeds release tiny pollen particles into the air to fertilize other plants.
Those symptoms range from sneezing, itchy eyes, hives and rashes to congestion and sinus pressure. This is because the body usually views any foreign substance or allergen as harmful and attacks it.
Pre-pandemic, you might not be able to tell the difference between seasonal allergies and a common cold, and now you may also be reaching for a COVID-19 rapid antigen test.
More: Do these allergy ‘hacks’ actually work? We had experts weigh in.
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Some experts believe climate change and shorter seasons are contributing to prolonged allergy seasons and worsening symptoms, as reported in the Indianapolis Star.
The good news is that there is some technology, like air purifiers and robotic vacuum cleaners, that can help seasonal allergy sufferers (including yours truly) cope with summer months.
Of course, there’s also doctor-recommended allergy medication for relief like antihistamines, as well as healthy habits, including:
· Regularly washing your hands and face.
· Placing a cold compress over the eyes to reduce itchiness.
· Closing doors and windows in your home and keeping your car windows closed.
· Changing clothes once you get home.
· Washing your hair regularly, especially before you risk getting pollen on your pillow.
· Drying clothes inside the home instead of hanging just-washed laundry in a backyard, which could attract blowing pollen.
· Wearing sunglasses or wraparound glasses while outside to reduce how much pollen is getting in your eyes.
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As for tech, there are a few ideas and products that might make your allergies better to manage overall.
Robotic vacuums. While disc-shaped vacuum bots have been around for a few years, they’re getting significantly smarter.
The iRobot Roomba j7+ ($799.99), for example, is especially good for allergy sufferers because it roams your home to autonomously clean your carpet, tile and hardwood floors, then navigates itself back to the base to charge up and empty its dust bin for you.
With a system called Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal, enclosed bags inside the device capture and trap 99% of pollen and mold, says the company. The bags need to be replaced only every 60 days or so.
Plus, its iRobot Genius 3.0 platform gets smarter with each use as it gets to know your home layout, clean where it is most needed and start automatically when you leave home and stop when you return.
As with other models, this Wi-Fi-enabled robot can also be started or scheduled with the companion app, via your voice with support for Google, Alexa and Siri, or by simply pressing the button on top of the unit.
It can also recognize and avoid obstacles like power cords and pet waste. If it’s unsure of an obstacle, the Roomba j7+ sends a photo of it to your iRobot Home app so you can instruct the robot on what to do.
More: 10 things that will help you survive seasonal allergies
As the name suggests, air purifiers sanitize the air, getting rid of pollutants, as well as allergens like pollen, pet dander and dust.
Most air purifiers work via a fan that sucks in air, and one or more filters to capture particles, before clean air is recirculated into the living space. The majority of air purifiers use HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters, which can remove dust, pollen, mold and other airborne particles with a size of 0.3 microns.
Molekule’s air purifiers, on the other hand, use proprietary PECO (Photo Electrochemical Oxidation) nanotechnology, CEO Jonathan Harris said in a telephone interview with USA TODAY.
“Our air purifiers don’t just capture pollutants, but destroy them as well — and that includes viruses such as the H1N1 flu and SARS-CoV-2,”the coronavirus strain that causes COVID-19, Harris said.
PECO also breaks down pollutants at a molecular level, including allergens, viruses, bacteria, mold, ozone and chemicals.
“By combining PECO with high-efficiency filtration and air quality sensors, we can capture particles found in smoke, while detecting and destroying pollutants 1,000 times smaller than the standard filters that qualify as HEPA,” Harris adds.
Ideal for rooms up to 250 square feet, Molekule Air Mini+ ($499) has a 360-degree air intake to take in surrounding air from all around the device, while the sensor rates air particle levels from Good to Very Bad and can auto-adjust fan speed accordingly or you can choose from one of five fan speeds.
More: Hay fever setting in? Here are the 20 worst cities for people with seasonal allergies.
Wearable purifiers start at under $40 and create a sphere of protection against airborne pollutants up to a few feet around you.
They are lightweight, battery-powered and emit a constant stream negative ions that force airborne pollutants out of your personal space. Models like the AirTamer A315 ($149.99) are rechargeable and offer more advanced features and filtration technology.
In March, Dyson also announced its Dyson Zone air-purifying headphones, which many thought was an early April Fools’ joke, as it looks like a big pair of headphones and visor that covers the nose and mouth. In it, compressors in the headphone earcups draw in air through filters, and then project purified air to your nose and mouth. Price and launch date are still unknown.
More: How to keep dust mites away naturally to help with allergies
You may also consider a neti pot, which can rinse out allergens and mucus from your sinuses. These devices gently stream a saline solution through your nasal passages to reduce congestion, improve breathing and relieve sinus pressure.
Low-tech teapot-shaped neti pots have been around for a few decades, but newer models, like the Navage Starter Bundle ($99.95), use battery-powered suction to filter sterile water through the sinuses (also includes 20 SaltPod capsules).
Finally, hypoallergenic bedding is an often-neglected area for managing allergies – especially considering that the average person spends about a third of their life in bed.
Dust mites and other airway irritants can get trapped in most bedsheets, comforters and pillows, but hypoallergenic materials are tightly woven, usually allowing little room for these irritants.
Prices start at about $10 for hypoallergenic sheets. Hypoallergenic Bamboo Memory Foam Pillows ($32.99 for set of two) are also resistant to mold, dust mites and bacteria.
Follow Marc on Twitter for his “Tech Tip of the Day” posts: @marc_saltzman. Email him or subscribe to his Tech It Out podcast. The views and opinions expressed in this column are the authors, and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.

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