Sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose, nasal congestion are all symptoms of allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, according to the Mayo Clinic. Not really a fever at all, allergic rhinitis is a condition that affects one in five people, and is caused by allergens that irritate the mucous membranes of the nose, throat and sinuses. Pollen is a major allergenic culprit responsible for seasonal allergies. Learning more about how pollen functions as an allergen is a key step in finding relief for those irritating allergy symptoms.
Pollen
Allergenic pollen, reports Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, is the microscopic male cell of various plants, weeds, trees and grasses. These tiny particles flourish in the spring, summer and fall, depending on their source type of plant. Allergenic pollen travels through the air because its natural function is to fertilize--or pollinate--female plants in order to reproduce. However, some people have sensitivities to allergenic pollen borne on the air they breathe, and it is at this point when pollen causes allergies.
Types
People who suffer from allergies are generally sensitive to different types of allergenic pollen, which rise in levels at different times of the year. Ragweed, whose pollen production peaks in mid-September, is a major pollen that causes allergy symptoms. Sagebrush, tumbleweed, curly dock and goldenrod are other weeds which produce allergenic pollen. Grasses such as timothy, sweet vernal, red top, and Kentucky bluegrass also produce airborne allergenic pollen--with their peak pollen production varying by region and weather conditions, but generally during late spring and early summer. Trees such as oak, red cedar, and elm are all producers of symptom-causing pollen, primarily during the spring.
Effects
The body's reaction to allergenic pollen is responsible for allergy symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose and congestion. According to the Mayo Clinic, allergenic pollen triggers a process called sensitization in which the body reacts to pollen particles as if they were harmful. When the body recognizes allergenic pollen, it triggers histamine release in order to combat the harmless pollen particles. Allergy symptoms are the result of the body's reaction.
Prevention
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences recommends several methods of prevention that can keep allergenic pollen from triggering allergy symptoms. Avoiding being outside between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. will keep exposure to airborne allergenic pollen to a minimum. Late afternoon or after a heavy rain is a also a good time to spend outdoor hours during pollen season. Air conditioners can keep the interior of your house or car free of large amounts of allergenic pollen because their filtration systems can weed out allergenic pollen particles. Also, because pollen can travel indoors on clothing, washing your clothes regularly and using a dryer--rather than hanging the clothes outside to dry--will reduce the amount of allergenic particles in your home.
Treatment
Because allergenic pollen triggers the release of histamine in your body, one way to treat the symptoms of pollen allergies is to take an antihistamine medication. Over-the-counter medications such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), loratadine (Claritin) and cetirizine (Zyrtec) are all antihistamine medicines that can help reduce or eliminate the reaction of your body to allergenic pollen. If these medicines are not effective, talk to a doctor about the many prescription drug options for severe hay fever. A doctor can also help identify which type of allergenic pollen is causing a reaction so you can plan a symptom-relief strategy that works best when allergenic pollen is in the air.
