By Dr. Roshini Raj

Ever since I started my new job, I’ve been suffering from headaches and rashes. Could I be allergic to my office?

It’s possible, especially if your symptoms happen only at work. In fact, doctors have a term for this phenomenon—occupational allergies. This is more commonly a problem for, say, nurses who are sensitive to latex or builders who are exposed to a lot of sawdust. But plenty of things found in a typical office could bring on symptoms: the carpet, the cleaning materials the maintenance staff uses or plain old dust, especially if the building is old. Some people’s allergies may be aggravated by compounds that off-gas from furniture or paint.

Your doctor can do some basic testing to help pinpoint a trigger, but the real trouble is that many office-related allergens are unavoidable: You probably won’t convince your employer to install new carpeting throughout your workplace, for example. Buying an air purifier with a HEPA filter for your desk can help. You can also open windows and let in fresh air, or take a daily nondrowsy antihistamine to stay ahead of reactions.

If that doesn’t help, take a look at your diet since you changed jobs—are you using a different coffee creamer, perhaps? Eating at a new food truck? Cut out any additions to see if you feel better.

Stress can also bring on headaches and rashes; if you‘re feeling overwhelmed, discuss priorities with your boss. Even a quick check-in may be enough to ease your mind—and soothe your symptoms.

Health‘s medical editor, Roshini Rajapaska, MD, is assistant professor of medicine at the NYU School of Medicine.

Originally published on Health.com