Warm weather means seasonal allergies
Experts offer ways to fight back against pollen
Reasons we love spring: warmer weather, more sunshine, longer days and greenery sprouting all around.
Reasons we don’t: pollen, hay fever and allergies.
Seasonal allergies are, pardon us, a headache for a significant portion of American adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 32% of American adults suffer from some sort of allergy. Seasonal allergies account for the largest share of these allergy sufferers, at 26%.
The primary culprit? Pollen. Pollen is a common airborne allergen known to cause uncomfortable symptoms in many people, says the CDC. Pollen grains are dispersed by plants, trees, grass and weeds and are generally present in higher concentrations during warmer seasons. The type and amount of pollen in the air is based on plants in the area, location and the environment in which you live.
The most common pollen reaction is allergic rhinitis, also known as “hay fever.” Hay fever occurs when your immune system responds to pollen entering your body, releasing defensive chemicals that cause symptoms like runny nose and stuffiness. You may also experience allergic conjunctivitis, which is an inflammation of the lining of the eyes, causing the redness, wateriness and itch we associate with allergy season.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, other common symptoms include runny nose (also known as rhinorrhea), stuffy nose, sneezing, red and watery eyes, swelling around the eyes and itchiness of the nose, eyes, ears or mouth.
People who already suffer from asthma have an increased risk of symptoms worsening due to pollen exposure, causing asthma attacks in tandem with the other common reactions. This is called allergic asthma and is the most common type. If you find yourself facing additional or worsening asthma symptoms due to environmental exposure, talk to your health care provider.
Sadly, being an adult doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. Many people think allergies − seasonal, pet, food or otherwise − develop only in childhood. However, you can develop a new allergy at really any point in your life. That means you shouldn’t ignore new symptoms simply because exposure to a certain thing hasn’t bothered you in the past.
The bad news is we can’t really prevent the plants around us from producing pollen or tell our immune systems that pollen isn’t worth reacting to. However, there are things people sensitive to seasonal changes can do to make spring and summer less miserable.
“If you are allergic to pollen and/or you have asthma, you can take steps to protect yourself,” said Joy Hsu, senior medical officer of the CDC’s asthma and air quality branch.
Tips and myths
Hsu gave these tips allergy sufferers may want to consider:
Check pollen forecasts. They can help you organize your day in a way that lessens the likelihood of agitating your allergies. “You can check pollen forecasts and plan to spend less time outdoors when pollen levels will be high so you can limit pollen exposure,” said Hsu.
Have allergy and asthma medications on hand. There are plenty of allergy medications available over the counter at your local pharmacy to help alleviate symptoms. Hsu advised that allergy or asthma medication should always be taken as prescribed by your health care provider.
Keep yourself clean. You may pick up pollen particles when you step outside, causing irritation. Hsu said you can limit exposure by avoiding touching your eyes while outside and washing your hands when you get back indoors. “You can also shower after being outside to remove pollen from your skin and hair, and you can change your clothes after being outdoors,” she said.
Close your windows. Keeping windows closed during allergy season can help keep irritants out of your home, including preventing pollen from drifting into your home, advised Hsu.
Consider using filters. High-efficiency filters may make the inside of your home more comfortable, said Hsu.
You can put the filters in your house’s ventilation and air conditioning system to help keep pesky particles at bay. However, “make sure that your HVAC system can use high-efficiency filters that don’t violate your system’s warranty,” she advised.
When people experience pain or discomfort, they naturally want to find a remedy − and fast. At times, this leads to the discovery of some useful techniques but often, it results in trying faulty athome remedies that don’t really work. Here are a few unhelpful allergy “cures.”
Eating honey. Honey may help a sore throat, but it won’t help your allergies. Some people believe that eating local honey regularly will expose you to the remnants of the pollen bees collect to make honey, building up your immunity. However, the pollen bees collect isn’t generally the same pollen that causes allergies, meaning increased exposure is useless.
Drinking apple cider vinegar. The way apple cider vinegar is touted online, you’d think the stuff was a cure-all for every condition out there. However, there is no scientific evidence that the consumption of vinegar will do anything to improve your symptoms.
Visiting a chiropractor. Chiropractic care is often also touted as the solution to many health ailments, even seasonal allergies. Similarly, there is no scientific evidence supporting the idea that chiropractic care can improve or prevent allergy symptoms.
Only taking over-the-counter medications. While there are quite a few over-the-counter options for allergy symptom relief, there are also prescription options – and the two are not the same. Some people think seasonal allergies aren’t “serious” enough to warrant a call to the doctor, but your health care provider can prescribe medications that will be much more effective in treating your allergies with fewer side effects.
Avoiding flowers. Believe it or not, flowers shouldn’t be your main concern if you’re sensitive to pollen. Flowers tend to make pollen that sticks to them, attracting pollinating insects. Instead, it’s usually the lighter, easier-traveling pollen from grass and trees that causes you grief.