Allergies cannot be cured, so treatment generally involves one or more of the following strategies to control or prevent allergic reactions:

• Dust mites: Use sheets, pillowcases, and mattress covers that are impermeable to dust mite allergens; regularly wash linens in hot water and vacuum the bed frame weekly.
• Cockroaches: Seal cracks in the floor and walls and clean to eliminate food and water sources.
• Food allergies: Avoid known food allergens; read packaging to check for ingredients such as peanuts that may have been added; ask restaurant staff about specific ingredients in prepared foods.
• Animal allergens: Remove pets from the home to get rid of animal hair and allergens such as dander, saliva, and feces.
• Pollen: Remain indoors during periods of high pollen counts; wash hands and clothing after being outdoors to remove pollen grains and prevent transferring them to the eyes and nose.
• Mitigating symptoms with medication: Both prescription and over-the-counter medications can relieve certain allergy symptoms.
• Skin contact allergies, eczema, and allergic conjunctivitis: Treat with topical antihistamines, decongestants, and topical corticosteroids, including ocular forms for use in the eye. In severe cases, systemic corticosteroids may be needed.
• Mitigating symptoms with medication: Both prescription and over-the-counter medications can relieve certain allergy symptoms.
• Skin contact allergies, eczema, and allergic conjunctivitis: Treat with topical antihistamines, decongestants, and topical corticosteroids, including ocular forms for use in the eye. In severe cases, systemic corticosteroids may be needed.
• Allergen immunotherapy: It is sometimes possible to desensitize a person to a particular allergen using allergen immunotherapy. The patient is given gradually increasing doses of allergens by injection until the immune system learns to tolerate the allergen without producing an allergic reaction. Immunotherapy can reduce or prevent symptoms, as well as minimize the severity of allergic exacerbations and keep the disease from getting worse.