It's that time of year again, when the pollen counts are high and I'm feeling it along with my fellow allergy sufferers. A struggle I've had for years, is how to perform with allergies on the bike. Now I just don't. When I feel it the most, I just ride tempo, base, and relax. For those of us that race, there's no gain if you can't go hard.
When the trees are done doing their thing and the air clears, I'm back kitted up with numbers and turning the pedals fast. For commuters, tourists, and the plain-clothes cylists, various treatments can help keep you on the bike and riding.
Pollen Map of Doom
Various Treatments
Flush with saline -- Mix baking soda 2 to 1 with salt and flush that through your nose and throat. Use one of those baby de-snotter things, if you're really congested, or a netti pot.
Shower frequently -- besides the normal bath, I'll rinse off before and after a ride to wash the pollen off my body
Drugs -- Those that don't have allergies think you can just take a pill and be all better, up there pushing the pace. Well, no you can't. Drugs have side-effects and just dampen the worst symptoms. For me it's asthma. I take a combination of Nasonex, Astelin, Foradil, and Albuterol.
Sleep -- I nap, sleep, and rest more at the height of allergy season. I want to give me immunity system all the advantages.
Vitamins -- A multi daily and vitamin C, along with D for the Seattle area, where we're sun deprived.
Herbs -- I'd like to think they help, maybe a placebo effect. Don't know, but there's nothing really I found that makes a difference.
Acupuncture -- when it's as bad as it gets, I visit my acupuncturist. What I've found is that my body is so heightened to contaminants in the air, that anything will set it off. Like, a passing whiff of perfume, cigarette smoke, diesel and so on. The acupuncturist just calms me down and those moments on the table I can try to breath deep and chill.
Breathing -- over the years, I've adapted to breathing excercises and breathing deep on the bike. In the pack, cyclists next to me probably think I'm sighing or doing some weird thing. But it's just trying to calm down and breathe as deep as I can.
Reader Replies
I tweeted about allergies and readers replied
- jonesdavide -- I ride in Memphis which is notorious 4 causing bad allergies. I use my glove (Castelli) thumb snot cloth & blow alot of rockets
- woodswittdealy -- saline nasal irrigation before & after ride. Singulair. Zaditor for eyes. Astelin spray. Benedryl for emergency.
- thorn_tree -- medicate up and wear wrap around glasses. currently using zyrtec D but I switch every couple of years.
- jennfields -- chin to shoulder, blow! & don't worry, snot washes off cycling jerseys quite easily. :)
- JeffCole53 -- I find farmer blows help - along with Claritin D.
- spurdave -- A netti pot and salt water helps clear out the snoot before and after rides. I bring an emergency inhaler and use non-drowsy drugs. And a whole lotta water.
- mattmbr -- disposable contact lenses and Oakley m frames or radars.
Resources
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iPhone Apps
+1 on the baby snot bulb. I’m also sniff Nasonex on a daily basis.
You get asthma with antihistamines? Wow, that reeks.
I carry a rescue inhaler but I haven’t had a truly serious asthma attack since the 80s, when I nearly died. These days I wheeze like an old steam engine — I’ve even had guys on group rides wonder if I’m okay I wheeze so badly.
That’s right — I wheeze right along. OId nickname was wheezy. For me, what happens is at full-on effort; exercise-induced asthma kicks in. Science hasn’t caught up to the need to go really hard with allergies. I can minimize most of it. That’s what the Foradil does for me; it’s lessens the mucous. I know several studies are on with exercise-induced; for some athletes it’s smog or temperature and me it’s allergens. After batteries of testing, including two trips to the UW fitness labs, we concluded: during Allergy season, if you’re feeling wheezy and allergenic, better to not race and just go train. I’ve done much to also build up a massive base to have my legs carry me through. But if it triggers, I’m out. It takes me at least 5 minutes to recover and despite me asking, my fellow racers just don’t want to slow down for that long for me to get my breath back.
Byron, I feel for you, as I’ve got the same issues. A couple of years ago my Asthma Dr. started me on Fluticasone 50 mcg to combat the allergy thing. Fantastic stuff — I know the pollen is out there by the color of my tires, but I just don’t suffer the consequences.
Have you tried allergy shots? They dose you with the stuff you’re allergic to, until your body gets used to it and doesn’t notice the stuff in the environment. It’s also not a drug, not a steroid, etc.
I had massive problems with allergies and a chronic sinus infection until I got back on shots (I was on them as a kid). All the difference in the world - way more than any drugs I’ve used. I’m still on Allegra D, and the Fluticasone and Astelin are great when things get rough. But none of that stuff did enough until the shots.