Spring brings warm temperatures, beautiful trees and flowers, but also allergies that leave people sneezing, running their nose, itchy, watery eyes and sneezing in its wake. Allergies (also known as allergic rhinitis or hay fever) occur when our bodies perceive something harmful as foreign substances and respond by secreting chemicals to defend itself against it.
Spring
As flowers blossom and trees begin to pollinate, many people experience seasonal allergies – more commonly known as “hay fever”. Allergies can lead to symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes and nasal congestion; your immune system overreacting to specific allergens such as mold spores or tree/grass/ragweed pollen that trigger your reactions; this causes membrane-lining rhinitis or conjunctivitis depending on where exactly the allergy affects.
Your allergist will conduct tests to identify environmental allergens responsible for your symptoms, then recommend medications to alleviate them. Some remedies are over-the-counter (antihistamines), while nasal sprays or corticosteroids require a valid valid prescription. Immunotherapy (allergy shots) may provide long-term relief; with gradually increasing increments of an allergen that triggers symptoms being introduced into your system over time until your body learns to tolerate it and reduce its effect.
Allergens are produced throughout the year, but allergies often peak at specific times of year depending on which allergen is producing it. Tree pollen levels peak in early spring; grass pollen peaks late spring through summer; and ragweed pollen in late fall – in some regions mild winter temperatures promote early plant growth, leading to seasonal allergies that are even worse than usual and lasting longer than anticipated.
Summer
Seasonal allergies, also known as allergic rhinitis or hay fever, occur when airborne allergens trigger an overreaction by your immune system and cause symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes.
Pollen from trees, grasses and weeds is the primary cause of seasonal allergy symptoms. Tree pollen reaches its peak during spring time while grass pollen peaks during late summer; while in tropical regions pollen production from certain plants may continue throughout the year.
Allergies to insects are also common during the summer season, including bees, wasps and hornets which may trigger anaphylaxis when stung by susceptible people. Other summer allergens may include cocklebur, burnweed and tumbleweed. High humidity and warm temperatures help foster mold growth which contributes to late summer and fall allergies in many locations.
Some individuals with seasonal allergies can develop mild allergic reactions to certain raw fruits and vegetables from the ragweed/grass family (bananas, melons, tomatoes and peppers). If this sounds familiar to you, contact your physician about IgE blood testing for further help pinpointing and managing your allergies.
Fall
Autumn heralds the return of itchy eyes and runny noses, as well as allergies caused by pollen from ragweed, mold spores or leaves and debris – and may remain active until frost sets in.
Seasonal allergies (allergic rhinitis), with their itchy eyes and sinus congestion that characterize seasonal allergy season, are more than an inconvenience; they disrupt normal functions like breathing, sleeping and eating as well as deprive you of enjoying outdoor sports, bonfires or hayrides that would otherwise be enjoyed.
Allergies affect approximately 50 million Americans and are caused by an overreaction of their immune systems to allergens such as pollen, weeds, grasses, trees, animal dander, dust mites and mold spores. Ragweed pollen is usually the main offender during fall as opposed to tree or grass pollen which tends to dominate spring/summer seasons.
Allergies can often be managed using over-the-counter (OTC) treatments like nasal sprays, oral antihistamines, and eye drops. But if these don’t provide relief, speaking to your physician about immunotherapy could provide long-term relief by increasing immunity against what causes sneezes, itchy eyes, or watery nasal passages – and is therefore the ultimate method for alleviating allergy symptoms.
Winter
Winter brings with it relief from pollen-triggered allergies; however, cold weather allergies may still cause sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes due to indoor allergens like pet dander, dust mites and mold spores – this becomes especially challenging when people spend long periods inside during this season – making escape more difficult than normal.
Seasonal allergies occur when immune systems overreact to environmental irritants. When exposed to foreign invaders such as pollen particles or mold spores, our bodies produce chemicals like histamine to defend against them; histamine then triggers common allergic responses such as sneezing, watery eyes and itchy skin.
Symptoms of seasonal allergies vary between people. One easy way to determine whether or not your symptoms are caused by allergies is taking allergy medication and monitoring for improvement in symptoms. You could also check pollen forecasts to see what pollen types might be contributing.
If your symptoms persist or are severe, seeking the advice of an allergist is highly advised. At our appointments, we perform allergy testing to identify which allergens are triggering a reaction, then recommend medications and desensitization therapy that may gradually build tolerance to those allergens.
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