Allergies can lead to symptoms including runny noses, sneezing fits, itchy, watery eyes and postnasal drip. Allergens must be avoided while medications like oral antihistamines and corticosteroid sprays may provide some relief.
Allergies are an immune response to allergens like pollen or mold spores that trigger your body, often manifesting at the same time each year. They typically affect people at roughly the same time each year.
Spring
Spring allergies (commonly referred to as allergic rhinitis or hay fever) are caused by airborne pollen released by blooming trees, plants and grasses that encounters the immune system’s reactionary mechanisms and produces histamines that lead to symptoms like runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes and itchy nasal passages and throat.
Dependent upon the region in the US, tree pollen tends to begin appearing around February and peak between March and April. Meanwhile, grass pollen usually begins appearing later summer; and weed pollen usually is most noticeable during fall. Mold spores present themselves year round but tend to worsen as people spend more time indoors during the winter.
Antihistamines, decongestants, and nasal steroids may provide some relief for seasonal allergies; many also find relief through allergy immunotherapy which involves receiving regular injections of allergens which gradually lessen your immune response over time.
Allergic patients also often seek help from allergists for managing asthma symptoms, which may flare during periods of high pollen counts or during outdoor activities such as gardening, farming or hiking in moist places where mold spores thrive. With proper management however, both conditions can coexist without negatively affecting one’s quality of life.
Summer
Summer allergies are caused by outdoor allergens like tree pollen, grasses and weeds which release airborne pollen particles to help their reproductive processes. Wind can carry these pollen particles around, which in turn trigger allergy symptoms like itchy eyes and nose, runny nose, nasal congestion and sneezing; additionally they may even trigger skin allergies like hives and allergic dermatitis in some instances.
Summer allergy seasons typically last from early to late summer and occasionally into fall in most locations across the US. Warmer temperatures and increased plant reproduction have resulted in longer allergy seasons across many regions of the country.
Maintaining good allergy management during the summer requires keeping abreast of local pollen forecasts and limiting outdoor activities on days when pollen counts are highest. Keep windows and doors shut as much as possible, wash hands regularly and consider wearing a NIOSH-rated 95 filter mask when mowing or doing yard work. Antihistamines and over-the-counter decongestants may provide temporary relief; for ongoing issues discuss having IgE blood tests conducted to get clarity into their causes as well as to maximize relief efforts as well as over-the-counter and prescription options such as nasal sprays, eye drops or oral allergy drops with your healthcare provider.
Fall
When we think of allergies, our minds often wander to blooming flowers and pollen-filled skies in springtime – but for 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 kids suffering seasonal allergies, symptoms can last well into falltime.
Allergens such as pollen, mold spores and pet dander can trigger symptoms including sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes and congestion. They may appear both indoors and outdoors – and could recur throughout the year.
As summer gives way to fall, ragweed pollen begins to increase rapidly and can last until the first frost. Meanwhile, grass and tree pollen levels may also increase as temperatures cool off; other triggers include alternnaria fungus as well as smoke from indoor fires or wood burning activities.
As with summer allergies, taking similar steps for fall allergies is usually effective in relieving symptoms. Monitoring local ragweed pollen counts is vital; medication for managing allergy symptoms should begin two weeks prior to season start – whether over-the-counter or prescription. Avoid activities that expose you to pollen as well as grassy and wooded areas when possible and wash hands often; washing frequently with antibacterial soap also may help ease allergy symptoms. If over-the-counter remedies don’t give relief then your allergist may prescribe immunotherapy which gradually exposes you gradually over time the allergen that causes your symptoms over time – gradually exposing you gradually over time until all allergy symptoms disappears or the appropriate antigen has been introduced gradually into your system over time by gradually exposing you over time!
Winter
Seasonal allergy symptoms, which include sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes, typically improve with lower pollen levels in winter. But if they interfere with daily life and continue to make you miserable then consulting an allergist may be in order.
Seasonal allergies, commonly referred to as allergic rhinitis, are caused by an immune system’s overreaction to allergens such as trees flowering in springtime and releasing pollen, grasses during the summer months and ragweed in fall. In many parts of the United States, seasonal allergies are commonly caused by trees flowering with pollen release during those times; other allergens include grasses that bloom during those same months as well.
As with colds or flu, allergies may be difficult to distinguish from one another; however, if your allergy symptoms include itchy or watery eyes, sneezing, runny or stuffy nose and itchy, itching skin (allergic dermatitis), then medical help must be sought to diagnose your condition and provide care.
There are various treatments for allergy symptoms. Over-the-counter medications are readily available and can provide relief from sneezing, itchy eyes, runny or stuffy nose, dry, itchy throat as well as congestion issues. Antihistamines such as cetirizine, loratadine and fexofenadine may relieve allergy symptoms while decongestant nasal sprays or drops may ease congestion issues. For more serious cases requiring prescription medication like corticosteroids or leukotriene modifiers may be prescribed by physicians whereas IgE blood testing can give insight into what causes your allergy-like symptoms while optimizing treatment plans to optimize outcomes.
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