While ragweed pollen causes the majority of hay fever cases in the United States, saltgrass allergies create the same health problems for many people. Saltgrass grows in alkaline areas such as the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf Coast marshlands. Once established, it can reproduce aggressively, especially inland, where wildlife prefer to graze on other grass species. This leaves allergy patients vulnerable to a host of allergy symptoms during the long saltgrass growth and reproduction season.
Identification
People who live in or visit saltgrass habitats may develop allergy symptoms from late spring through summer, or later in Southern climates. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that this spiky grass releases allergenic pollen into the air and also reproduces via underground rhizomes. People with saltgrass sensitivities who inhale this pollen experience allergic reactions that produce hay fever symptoms. Doctors can perform skin or blood tests to verify that saltgrass allergies, in particular, are the cause of individual illness.
Immune Function
Seasonal saltgrass allergies occur when people's immune systems develop antibodies to the grass allergens, as the Cleveland Clinic explains. When these allergens enter the body, the antibodies start a chain reaction that sends histamines and white blood cells to neutralize them. Side effects to this inflammatory response appear as the common signs of hay fever.
Histamines in the bloodstream create swelling in various parts of the body as well as greater-than-normal mucus secretion. Dilation of the blood vessels allows fluids to alternately pass through and collect in the mucous membranes.
Effects
Inflammation creates sensations of warmth and causes allergy symptoms such as red, itchy eyes and nose, and an itchy and sore throat. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, excess mucus accumulation results in watery eyes, runny nose, postnasal drip and congestion in the nasal and sinus passages. Sneezing and coughing may occur as the body attempts to expel saltgrass allergens from the respiratory tract.
Solution
Allergies can't be cured, but immunotherapy shots are available to reduce sensitivities to saltgrass, the USDA reports. A series of injections can decrease the severity of allergy symptoms in some people. Alternatively, the University of Maryland Medical Center notes, antihistamine and decongestant medications can be taken during seasonal bouts of hay fever.
Prevention
Nasal corticosteroid medications reduce the inflammatory effects of saltgrass allergies. The University of Maryland Medical Center points out that these prescription drugs treat itching, runny nose and nasal congestion in one dose, as opposed to the more limited effectiveness of antihistamines and decongestants. Using this medication before seasonal pollination begins can prevent allergy attacks.
