As the name implies, seasonal allergies break out during spring, summer and fall when airborne substances saturate the air and cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Pollen and molds are the most common triggers for seasonal allergies. The Mayo Clinic loosely refers to seasonal allergies as hay fever or allergic rhinitis. Some people may be sensitive to more than one type of trigger, so symptoms can last all year long. Symptoms may include runny nose, nasal congestion, itchy or watery eyes, sneezing, cough, sinus pressure and facial pain. Complications from prolonged or severe seasonal allergies include worsening asthma, chronic sinusitis, reduced quality of life and impaired sleep. It is important to be aware of the common seasonal allergies so you can better manage the condition.
Tree and Grass Pollen Allergies
According to the National Institutes of Health, pollen allergy is one of the most common chronic diseases in the United States. An estimated 35 million Americans suffer from allergic reactions to airborne allergens such as pollen. Early springtime triggers include airborne pollen from trees such as oak, elm, maple, alder, birch, juniper and olive, according to the Merck Manuals Library. In the summer, pollen from grasses like Bermuda, timothy, sweet vernal, orchard and Johnson grass, and certain weeds (Russian thistle and English plantain) cause allergic reactions. Pollen seasons vary from one region to another, and different trees may pollinate at the same time. Your allergy season may span from early spring to late fall if you are allergic to more than one type of pollen.
Ragweed Pollen Allergy
The fall season brings about ragweed pollen allergies, affecting 10 to 20 percent of Americans, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Weeds are the most prolific source of allergenic pollens, and ragweeds produce about 1 billion pollen grains on average each year. Ragweeds grow anywhere but are most common in the Eastern and Midwest states. If you have seasonal allergies to pollen, the Mayo Clinic advises you to stay indoors during dry, windy days or when the pollen count is high, to reduce your exposure to pollen. Keep your indoor air clean with a dehumidifier or a high-efficiency particulate air filter. An allergist or an ear, nose and throat specialist can help you identify seasonal allergy triggers and develop a management plan for your allergies.
Mold Allergy
Molds can grow everywhere, but they are most commonly found in warm, damp places such as basements and bathrooms indoors and on damp vegetation and compost outdoors. Mold spores also grow inside fabric, rugs, wallpapers and other things that remain damp for prolonged periods of time. The most commonly found molds in the United States are Alternaria and Cladosporium,according to the National Institutes of Health. According to the Mayo Clinic, molds grow all year long, but the spores multiply when the indoor humidity is higher than 50 percent, usually during the warm summer months. To prevent or reduce mold growth, keep indoor humidity low, properly ventilate bathrooms and basements and regularly clean areas and rooms that are prone to mold.
