Seasonal allergies, commonly known as hay fever, cause runny noses, sneezing fits and itchy, watery eyes. Seasonal allergies typically surface between spring and fall as pollen grains from trees, grasses and weeds release pollen grains into the environment.
Your doctor can diagnose seasonal allergies by asking you when and how your symptoms began, performing skin prick tests (known as skin prick testing) to check your skin for allergen reactions and performing blood tests to identify triggers for allergy flare-ups.
Pollen
Pollen allergies can cause great discomfort. Pollen is a fine powdery substance produced by flowering trees, grasses and weeds as part of their reproduction processes, spread by wind and insects – and can cover great distances before being dispersed back into nature by way of rainfall or air currents.
Seasonal allergies occur when our immune systems respond to pollen particles as foreign invaders, sending antibodies out against them and producing histamine, leading to symptoms such as sneezing and itchy eyes.
People suffering from seasonal allergies typically experience their most intense allergy symptoms during spring, when trees bloom, and summer/fall when grasses and weeds produce large quantities of pollen. But pollen can affect sufferers at any time of year – especially on breezy days when wind can easily transfer pollen between plants.
Warmer temperatures associated with climate change are extending pollen season, increasing allergy symptoms this year. Avoiding allergens and taking preventive medications can help decrease allergy symptoms and lessen their severity.
Dust
Allergies (rhinitis) cause you to react against airborne allergens like mold spores, dust mites, pet dander and pollen from trees, grass or ragweed pollen. These allergens typically result in seasonal symptoms like runny nose, itchy eyes and congestion. You may even develop itchy skin or dark circles under your eyes (allergic shiners). Allergies may make you tired due to chemicals released by your immune system to counter the allergens as well as blocked nasal passages which prevent sleep from taking place.
Seasonal allergies are diagnosed by carefully monitoring symptoms throughout the year and comparing them to what they appear during other times of year. Allergy tests can also be conducted through skin prick testing; during which your physician prickles various extracts on your surface skin in an effort to elicit a reaction in form of red bumps on your skin surface.
An allergy skin test is an effective way to identify whether or not you’re sensitive to dust mites, microscopic creatures that live in carpets, drapes and bedding. Your doctor will prick your skin with an extract of dust mites and look out for signs that it causes red, itchy spots to form around it. An allergy blood test also works well to assess whether dust mites cause allergies; your physician takes blood samples from you and checks antibodies against allergens found within them.
Pets
Pet allergies do not typically manifest the same way as humans do; rather, pet allergy symptoms typically manifest themselves through skin issues instead. Your cat or dog may scratch excessively or lick their paws more often due to allergens like pollen or mold spores causing itching; furthermore they may lick or chew at their ears leading to redness, discharge, odor and crusts on the ear surface resulting in infections with redness, discharge, odor and crusts on its surface.
These allergies can be brought on by many sources, from fleas and ticks to food or medication ingestion, weather changes or environmental influences. If you notice that your pet’s allergy symptoms appear repetitively over time, it’s wise to schedule an appointment with their veterinarian as soon as possible.
Skin-prick tests are the go-to way of diagnosing pet allergies. This test involves applying small amounts of allergen extract directly onto the skin and then pricking it to see how the reaction manifests itself; any significant reaction such as swelling, redness and itching indicates your pet is allergic. Once identified by the veterinarian, medications that reduce your pet’s allergy symptoms – pills, sprays, shampoos or injections may be recommended by them as ways of alleviating symptoms; frequent baths can also help wash away allergens while alleviating itching by washing away allergens from their fur coat.
Mold
Mold allergy symptoms arise when your immune system responds inappropriately to tiny mold seeds known as spores circulating through the air. Even smaller than pollen grains responsible for hay fever, spores float freely as part of mold reproduction’s natural cycle, making inhalation part of its reproduction process and prompting your body to produce antibodies in response. You might find them indoors such as basements, bathrooms and kitchens or outdoors among compost piles, logs and grasses.
As with any allergy, reacting to mold spores can result in symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, watery eyes and shortness of breath. When exposed to high concentrations of mold spores or when weather conditions such as rain arises, symptoms usually worsen significantly.
An allergist-prescribed skin and blood test are the best way to diagnose mold allergies. With the skin test, diluted amounts of common or suspected allergens are applied directly onto your arm using tiny punctures; if they cause an allergic reaction a raised bump (hive) will appear at their site. Radioallergosorbent testing measures levels of immunoglobulin E antibodies in blood samples in order to diagnose an allergy to mold spores. Our team at Greater Austin Allergy can create a treatment plan that includes prescription medication as well as allergy shots if needed.
Comments are closed