Seasonal Allergies (also referred to as allergic rhinitis) result from an immune system’s overreaction when exposed to allergens that activate antibodies that cause runny nose, itchy eyes and sneezing symptoms.
If home remedies, over-the-counter medications and environmental modifications do not alleviate symptoms, your doctor may suggest allergy shots to provide relief.
Spring
Seasonal allergies, commonly referred to as allergic rhinitis or hay fever, occur when your immune system mistakenly interprets an airborne substance as dangerous, prompting your body to release histamines that can result in symptoms such as itchy eyes and runny nose. Allegens that cause seasonal allergies vary based on season and location – spring is known for tree pollen while summer brings grass pollen and fall brings ragweed pollen – however any season can bring allergy symptoms for people sensitive to certain forms of pollen pollens.
Over-the-counter allergy medications like oral antihistamines and decongestants may provide temporary relief of seasonal allergy symptoms, while nasal irrigation with saline solution and dietary supplements like butterbur or quercetin may help ease congestion, itchy eyes and watery eye symptoms. If these measures don’t provide relief or become severe enough to interfere with daily life, professional help should be sought immediately.
An allergy specialist can quickly and effectively identify the source of your allergies and devise a personalized treatment plan to relieve them. This may involve skin or blood tests to measure immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels against specific allergens that cause reactions; and receiving desensitization injections which gradually lessen sensitivity over 3-5 years, making desensitization the most effective means of combatting root cause allergies.
Summer
Spring and summer are times to enjoy being outdoors under a brilliant sun, flowers blooming, and birds chirping away, but for 35 million Americans seasonal allergies put an unfortunate dampener on these seasons. Hay fever, which consists of an allergic response to airborne substances (pollen) only present during certain times of the year can have detrimental effects such as runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, congestion.
Symptoms depend on both the type and climate in which you reside; for instance, tree pollen levels tend to peak early spring; grass pollen reaches its highest concentration around mid to late summer; while weed pollen–especially ragweed pollen–is most prominent around autumn.
Seasonal allergies can produce more than runny noses, itchy eyes and sneezing; fatigue, a “fogginess” feeling in the head, ringing of ears (tinnitus), joint ache or headaches can also occur as side effects.
If you suffer from seasonal allergies, there are a variety of things you can do to alleviate symptoms. These include avoiding your triggers, taking antihistamines (tablet or nasal spray form) and decongestants, as well as decongestants. In more serious cases, health care providers may recommend skin or blood tests to identify allergy triggers and determine the most suitable treatments for you. Immunotherapy or desensitization shots can also help gradually lower immune reactions against allergens reducing symptoms over time.
Fall
Seasonal allergies, also referred to as seasonal allergic rhinitis or hay fever, occur when your immune system responds to certain airborne substances during specific seasons, like pollen spores. The severity of an individual’s allergy symptoms depends upon their level of sensitization to specific pollen species that is triggering their immune response.
Allergies occur when your body’s immune system recognizes something foreign to it – like pollen – as an invader and responds accordingly, mistakingly believing that this substance poses a pathogen or infection when in fact it poses no such danger. Once an allergen is recognized by your immune system, chemicals including histamines are released to attack it – leading to runny nose, itchy, watery eyes and wheezing/shortness of breath among other symptoms.
Allergies can be caused by many sources throughout the year, including trees, grasses, weeds and ragweed. Tree pollen is usually the culprit during spring, while summer tends to feature grass and weed pollen more prominently; fall brings with it an issue due to ragweed allergies. Antihistamine medications available over-the-counter may provide temporary relief; more intense forms may require injections that contain allergens into one’s immune system in order to soothe its response and relieve symptoms.
Winter
Allergies affect more than the nose, eyes, and lungs; untreated allergies may also have serious repercussions that diminish quality of life and require medical intervention to manage.
Seasonal allergies, more commonly referred to as “hay fever”, typically appear during specific times of the year when trees, grasses and weeds release pollen into the air to fertilize other plants. People allergic to these plants have immune systems which recognize this pollen as an invader and release chemicals such as histamines, leukotrienes, prostaglandins into their bloodstream to attack it – leading to classic symptoms like sneezing, itching and runny nose.
Allergists specialize in treating seasonal allergies by identifying their trigger and providing medication and advice on how to avoid exposure. Skin tests or allergy-specific blood tests may be conducted in order to confirm diagnosis, and over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants as well as prescription intranasal corticosteroids may be prescribed in order to reduce inflammation and relieve symptoms; in addition, immunotherapy treatments are also available which desensitize immune systems and decrease reactions.
Climate change-induced warming temperatures are prolonging pollen seasons and intensifying allergy symptoms in many patients, according to Sur and Johnson. They advise anyone experiencing severe or prolonged allergy symptoms to visit a board-certified allergist for evaluation and immunotherapy injections given weekly at first and then monthly thereafter in order to help avoid or minimize allergy-related issues.
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