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When fall comes, people who suffer from hay fever can start to feel downright miserable. The pollen from the ragweed plants is released beginning in early September, causing itchy, watery eyes and sneezing. Taking allergy medications can help, but these medications don't always eliminate your symptoms entirely. Here are four other ways to fight hay fever symptoms.

Keep your windows closed.

Sadly, the time when ragweed releases its pollen is the same time when the weather starts cooling down and people start using their windows, rather than their air conditioners, to keep their homes comfortable. When you open your windows, you let ragweed pollen inside. Your home is then no longer a safe haven from these irritating outdoor allergens. So, to fight hay fever, one of the best things you can do is keep your windows closed. Use your central fan to circulate some air through your home, even if you don't turn on the AC. At least with the central fan, contaminants like pollen will be caught in the filter rather than being propelled through your home.

Use saline solution.

When the pollen gets into your eyes, it can stick to the surface of your eyes, causing ongoing symptoms and irritation. A good way to combat this issue is to give your eyes a quick rinse with saline solution when you come in from outside. This will rinse any pollen out of your eyes. If you wear contact lenses, you may want to do without them and instead wear glasses during hay fever season. Pollen can get stuck on contacts and be hard to remove. If you must wear contacts, rinse them well each time you remove them.

Drink plenty of water.

Your body relies on mucous and tears to help get rid of any pollen that you inhale or that gets into your eyes. In order to make these fluids, your body needs plenty of fluid. So, stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Actually, drinking hot tea is an even better choice since the steam from the tea will help clear your nasal passages and eliminate stuffiness.

Take hot showers.

Sitting in a bathroom that has been steamed up from the shower is another good way to alleviate stuffiness. The mucous that flows out as you spend time in the steam will carry pollen out with it, so you will experience fewer symptoms later in the day, too.

Check with a company like Alpine Ear, Nose & Throat, PC for more information.