If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you’re not alone. As many as 60 million Americans have allergy symptoms related to pollen, ragweed and other common allergy trigger. If you find yourself sneezing a lot or blowing your nose during certain times of the year, seasonal allergies may be the culprit.
Seasonal allergies develop when your immune system overreacts to a benign trigger in the environment. Although many people associate seasonal allergies exclusively with springtime, symptoms can often strike in autumn, too, because that’s when certain plants that can cause allergies pollinate.
Unfortunately, the triggers for seasonal allergies are not going away. In fact, pollen seasons have been lasting longer, and data has indicated rising pollen counts year over year.
This article will first focus on common allergy culprits to help you identify your triggers and then provide easy ways to help you prevent and manage symptoms.
Common fall allergy culprits
Ragweed is a prime culprit of fall allergies. If you find yourself feeling miserable with allergy symptoms at the end of summer, you could be allergic to ragweed. The plant releases pollen from August to November. Its lightweight pollen easily spreads through the air and can trigger nasal allergies and asthma symptoms for people at risk for asthma.
Ragweed is especially common on the East Coast and in the Midwest, but it can grow practically everywhere, including in fields and gardens and alongside roads. Ragweed pollen levels are at their highest in September, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
Other plants that can trigger fall allergies include:
- Burning bush
- Cocklebur
- Lamb’s-quarters
- Pigweed
- Sagebrush (or mugwort)
- Tumbleweed (or Russian thistle)
Common spring allergy culprits
Every spring, nature blooms. That means there’s an influx of pesky springtime allergy culprits like pollen, grass and weeds. Airborne particles from these plants can cause the miserable symptoms associated with seasonal allergies for millions of people — even city dwellers.
And don’t think spring showers will save you from all that pollen. While rain does wash it away, the pollen count often returns with more intensity after a storm passes. This happens because raindrops can rupture pollen particles, breaking them into even smaller fragments that get into the air and enter the lungs.
In addition to pollen and grass, mold is another common springtime allergy trigger. Mold tends to grow quickly in heat and humidity, both of which can be plentiful in spring.
Across most of the United States, spring allergies start as early as February and run all the way through early summer.
How can seasonal allergies be managed?
Here’s the good news: You don’t have to suffer through all the miserable symptoms of spring or fall allergies. There is help!
Medicines and behavioral techniques are available to help prevent and manage seasonal allergies. However, if you already know you have seasonal allergies, don’t wait for symptoms to appear before you start treatment. Most allergists recommend a proactive approach and advise patients to begin taking allergy medication two weeks before symptoms appear. You want to identify your allergy trigger, so you know when its season starts.
Remaining indoors can help limit your exposure to an outdoor allergen, especially when it’s windy outside. If you’ve been outside, change your clothes when you come back inside. Wash the outdoor outfit and take a shower because pollen can cling to your clothes, body and hair. During allergy season, don’t hang your laundry outside to dry on a clothesline. That can act like a magnet for pollen.
In addition, keep your eye on the pollen count. You can receive a pollen count and allergy forecast for your area through some online weather sources. If the pollen count is high, it could trigger symptoms. Close doors and windows to prevent pollen from drifting inside.
Over-the-counter and at-home allergysupport products
Several types of nonprescription medications can help ease allergy symptoms. Oral antihistamines are available at your local pharmacy and can help relieve sneezing, itching, a runny nose and watery eyes.
Decongestants and some nasal sprays may help provide temporary relief for stuffiness. You might also want to use a neti pot or saline solution to flush out mucus and allergens that can accumulate in your nasal passages. Consult with a health care professional regarding which options might be right for you.
If these treatments are not helping, schedule a visit with your doctor. Allergists are doctors that specialize in treating allergy symptoms. They may order a skin test or blood test to help determine what is triggering your symptoms. With that information, your doctor can identify treatments that are likely to work best for you. The more you know about your allergy and what triggers it, the better equipped you may be to handle symptoms.