If allergy season has you feeling congested, sneezy and miserable, there are some easy ways to manage those symptoms — including natural home remedies.

“Every year we say this is going to be the worst allergy season yet, and it is getting worse every year,” allergist Dr. Tania Elliot said on TODAY in a segment aired April 14. “So, unfortunately, this is going to be another bad year.”

That’s partly due to changing weather and climate patterns, particularly wetter, warmer winters, Elliot explained. Pollution and carbon dioxide in the air also contribute to worsening allergy seasons.

“We know that plants like to breathe in carbon dioxide, so what happens? You have a more pollen, and then you have super pollen that actually binds to things like diesel exhaust,” Elliot said. Because these particles are irritating to the respiratory system, even folks who don’t have true seasonal allergies may find that they’re experiencing allergy-like symptoms, she adds.

“You’re breathing that into your nasal passages, and it’s an irritant, so you’re going to try to sneeze it out,” Elliot said.

Thankfully, we have a ton of allergy remedies to choose from to help soothe those symptoms, including over-the-counter medications, prescription options and natural home remedies.

Natural allergy remedies that actually work

Elliot mentioned two home remedies to help soothe allergy symptoms, like congestion.

Eucalyptus

“Go buy some fresh eucalyptus and hang it in your shower,” Elliot said. “The eucalyptus can help to open up the nasal passages.”

Using fresh eucalyptus in the shower is meant to release the plant’s essential oils, TODAY.com explained previously, offering a relaxing, spa-like aromatherapy experience.

Additionally, many over-the-counter cold products contain eucalyptus oil, Mount Sinai explains, which has a cooling, soothing effect and may help loosen phlegm.

Ginger

“Take some fresh ginger, put it in a pot of hot water, bring that up to a boil and then breathe in that humidified air,” Elliot suggested. This helps because “the ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory for your nasal passages, your sinuses and your lungs,” she noted.

Even on its own, steam can help relieve congestion, allergists told TODAY.com previously. Other natural remedies that experts have recommended include saline rinses, humidifiers and staying hydrated throughout the day.

Best ways to manage seasonal allergies

When you’re dealing with seasonal allergy symptoms, experts often recommend trying over-the-counter medications first.

“The two mainstays of treatment are nasal steroid sprays and antihistamines,” Elliot explained. “But it’s important to understand how those are used.”

Nasal steroid sprays need to be used consistently for a few days or weeks before you start to feel the effects. “Those are the ones that you want to start at the beginning of allergy season and stay on them throughout allergy season,” Elliot said.

Oral antihistamines, on the other hand, can be taken as needed and their effects will kick in within an hour, she added. You may also want to try antihistamine eye drops if itchy eyes are one of your main symptoms.

Managing your pollen exposure — both indoors and outdoors — can also go a long way in keeping allergy symptoms at bay.

Consider wearing sunglasses to prevent pollen from landing on your eyelashes, for example, or wearing a mask when outside to help filter out pollen when breathing. And keep in mind that “pollen loves to stick to your hair,” Elliot said, so avoid wearing hairspray.

It’s also a good idea to keep the windows of your home closed during allergy season (despite the lovely spring weather), experts told TODAY.com previously. And they recommended changing your clothes as soon as you get home.

Finally, “my recommendation is putting an air purifier in your entryway and making sure that that’s the appropriate size for your room,” Elliot said.

If your allergy symptoms are still disrupting your daily life after trying all these remedies, it’s probably time to see an allergist. They can prescribe other medications and may even recommend starting immunotherapy to curb your allergy symptoms in the long-term.