If your allergies seem to affect you year round rather than just during specific seasons, indoor allergens such as pet dander, dust mites, or mold spores could be to blame.
Maintain a log of your allergy symptoms so you can track where and when they occur. Consulting an allergist may also assist in identifying their triggers.
Pet Allergies
Pet allergies occur when an individual’s immune system overreacts to proteins found in certain animals, specifically cats and dogs. This protein, commonly referred to as pet dander, originates in their fur, skin and saliva and when inhaled or absorbed through the skin causes an allergic response affecting primarily their nose, eyes or lungs.
Symptoms can include sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, an itchy rash and wheezing. The only sure way to diagnose pet allergies is by visiting an allergist who will take a full history and perform allergy tests on you – this might involve skin prick testing where small amounts of allergen are applied directly onto the forearm and scratched off, or blood testing where samples of blood from injection with said allergen is analysed after injection into the veins.
Antihistamines may help relieve pet allergies by creating an allergy-free zone in the house – usually the bedroom for cats or dogs that trigger your allergies – by regularly having someone without allergies clean your home, replacing carpets and upholstery furniture as needed, or possibly having your animal taken away altogether (though this can be emotionally challenging if they are emotionally attached to their animals). Antihistamines may be useful in controlling allergic reactions.
Mold Allergies
Mold allergies occur when an individual’s immune system overreacts to airborne spores produced by mold fungus and results in an allergic response in their nose, throat and eyes, often manifested through symptoms like sneezing, runny noses, itchy and watery eyes, itchy throat or nose areas, itchy and watery eyes, sinus congestion (hay fever) as well as other similar effects such as itching skin hives or itchy patches resembling seasonal allergies (hay fever).
Avoiding mold exposure is key to managing symptoms. Indoors, this means keeping humidity levels down while clearing away leaf piles and woodpiles that foster mold growth; outdoors it means limiting activities when mold spore counts are highest – typically from late summer through early fall when foggy or dewy weather releases the spores into the air, creating high mold counts in the atmosphere.
If your symptoms cannot be managed through reduced exposure, speak with an allergist about medications that can help alleviate them. Over-the-counter antihistamines, nasal corticosteroid sprays and oral allergy drops may all provide temporary relief; daily nasal lavage with salt water rinse may also help clear nasal passages. Allergen immunotherapy (commonly referred to as allergy shots or sublingual immunotherapy) could offer longer-term solutions: shots gradually introduce small amounts of an allergen into your system over time until eventually your immune system acclimated to it thereby diminishing allergic reactions over time and helping it lessen over time.
Dust Allergies
Allergies occur when your immune system overreacts to substances it perceives as invaders, such as pollen, pet dander or dust mites. Your body produces chemicals to attack this foreign substance and trigger symptoms like runny noses, itching in eyes throat and nose as well as itchy skin patches and sneezing; while some allergies may only surface periodically.
Household dust contains bits of dead skin cells, cockroach droppings, bird feathers, mold spores and pet saliva and dander proteins. Dust mites, tiny, eight-legged relatives of spiders that live on bedding, mattresses, carpeting and upholstery furniture in warm humid environments feeding off dead skin cells as well as organic matter are another potential allergen causing itchy red skin conditions known as eczema as well as bronchial asthma symptoms in some people.
Regular cleaning with vacuuming and sweeping can significantly decrease dust and allergens in your home, while using an electrostatic filter on your vacuum may further limit exposure to allergens. If allergy symptoms continue, consult your physician for treatment; allergists can conduct skin tests to isolate which allergen is triggering symptoms in addition to asking you questions about work/home environments, eating habits, family medical history history and frequency of symptoms.
Asthma Allergies
Many people with allergies also suffer from asthma, which affects the lungs. When this happens, inflamed and narrowed airways cause it to be difficult to breathe; much like allergies. Triggered by airborne substances like pollen, pet dander, mold or cockroaches. Asthmatic symptoms include sneezing, runny nose and watery eyes as well as chest tightness; more serious symptoms for asthmatics include wheezing coughing shortness of breath etc.
Asthma and allergies can be made worse by viral respiratory infections, exercise and certain weather conditions; colder temperatures can aggravate asthma symptoms by drying out the lungs while high humidity levels encourage mold and dust mite growth.
Asthma and allergies require different approaches. The first step should be making an appointment with an allergist for an extensive history and physical exam; allergy testing will then identify specific allergens responsible. Once these allergens have been identified, an allergy treatment plan can be drawn up, including allergy shots or sublingual tablets that dissolve under the tongue. Allergists can also provide education on improving indoor environments by decreasing exposure to triggers for allergies or asthma in your home environment.
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