Seasonal Allergies are caused by an immune response in response to pollen that leads to symptoms like runny nose, itchy eyes and sneezing.
Allergies affect millions of people worldwide and can greatly impair sleep due to nasal congestion. Medication may provide temporary relief; alternatively, allergen immunotherapy could offer longer-term solutions.
Spring
Millions of pollen grains that bloom each spring can trigger allergy symptoms in those suffering from seasonal allergic rhinitis or hay fever. Your body overreacting to pollen causes itchy eyes, runny nose or sneezing which makes focusing at work or school difficult.
At various points throughout the year, different allergens peak depending on where you reside. Tree pollen tends to peak during spring, grass pollen in summer and ragweed pollen reaches its highest point during fall.
Antihistamines and nasal sprays may help relieve allergy symptoms such as itchy eyes, runny nose and sinus congestion; in some instances these symptoms may also irritate skin conditions like eczema. Antihistamines and nasal sprays can reduce sneezing, itching, runny nose congestion while decongestants may reduce them further. Medications such as decongestants can also help alleviate your allergy symptoms.
If over-the-counter medications don’t help, speaking to your physician is also key. Allergy shots and sublingual tablets (allergen immunotherapy) may provide more relief; allergy shots involve getting regular injections with the allergen that causes your allergy, with options available for children aged 5-17, adults, and those with severe allergies; sublingual tablets dissolve sublingually beneath your tongue for daily administration by both children (2-5), as well as adults.
Summer
Seasonal allergies (commonly referred to as allergic rhinitis or hay fever) affect more than one out of every four children in the US. They arise when airborne irritants enter through nose or eyes and stimulate an immune response resulting in symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, itchy, watery eyes and swollen nose.
Allergens can vary widely depending on the region, with tree pollen being one of the primary culprits in spring. Rye grass and timothy grass tend to peak during the summer while weeds such as ragweed make an impactful statement in autumn. Furthermore, allergy symptoms may also be brought about by late-summer fruits and vegetables in some parts of the country.
Humid weather can exacerbate seasonal allergy symptoms. High humidity fosters mold growth that releases spores that irritate nasal passages and lungs. Furthermore, high humidity encourages dust mite growth which has the ability to exacerbate respiratory symptoms for those who are sensitive to them.
As with anything, prevention is the key to effective seasonal allergy management. Avoiding allergens that trigger them and taking antihistamines when necessary are both great ways of mitigating symptoms of seasonal allergies. Furthermore, ExACT Immunoplasty offers fast relief with just three appointments over eight weeks that have shown 87% long-term success rates – another great solution if fast relief from symptoms is desired.
Fall
Seasonal allergies (also referred to as “hay fever”) typically manifest themselves during spring, summer and fall. Allergies occur when one’s immune system reacts negatively to allergens in their environment – like plant pollen – that cause reactions in their immune systems that aggravate these issues. Allergies typically affect both membrane lining the nose (rhinitis), as well as tissue covering white parts of eyes (conjunctivitis).
Many people experience runny noses, itchy eyes and sneezing regularly during spring and early summer in the United States due to tree pollen allergies; grass and ragweed pollen tend to be a more pressing problem during the warmer seasons of summer and fall.
Fall allergies often peak with the arrival of ragweed pollen blooming everywhere from August through November. Mold spores also tend to peak due to wetter weather and increased vegetation, further contributing to fall allergies.
Allergies tend to flare up most on windy days when pollen counts are highest. To protect yourself from pollen exposure, it’s wise to wear a mask when venturing outdoors; mold, dust mites, and dander indoor allergens such as mold can also become problematic when temperatures heat up and humidity rises; such allergens can be found both outdoors in wet soil and bales of hay as well as inside homes with damp surfaces that collect them.
Winter
Change of season brings joy, but may also trigger allergies. Seasonal allergies (also known as “hay fever”) are caused by airborne allergens which only appear at certain times of year – generally spring, summer or fall depending on what allergens cause it. Reactions typically involve either allergic rhinitis or conjunctivitis which primarily impact nasal membranes and whites of eyes respectively.
Allergies result from an inflated immune response to normally harmless substances, producing histamines and other chemicals into your bloodstream which cause symptoms, including itching, sneezing and watery, itchy eyes. If symptoms interfere with daily life and cannot be alleviated with over-the-counter medicines alone or you have questions as to whether your symptoms could be due to allergies or the common cold, seeking medical advice from a professional is important for quality of life reasons.
Visit a board-certified allergist who will perform allergy testing. This may involve skin prick testing with diluted allergens to look for reactions, or conducting blood tests measuring immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies, which indicate responses to specific allergens. Once we know your allergic triggers, we can suggest treatments such as over-the-counter or prescription antihistamines, decongestants and nasal sprays; desensitization therapy could also be offered, in which injections administered in-office can reduce sensitivity over time – this therapy would reduce sensitivity over time reducing sensitivity towards allergens that provoke symptoms in their entirety.
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