Frequently Asked Questions: Seasonal Allergies
Find Answers to the most frequent questions when it comes to seasonal allergies.
What are seasonal allergies?
Plants, trees, mold all put off spores and pollen in their reproductive cycle. Pollen grains are tiny “seeds” dispersed from flowering plants, trees, grass, and weeds. Sometimes, humans can become sensitive to pollen, which leads to an allergic reaction. The amount and type of pollen in the air depends on the season and geographic region. Though pollen counts are typically higher during the warmer seasons, some plants pollinate year-round.
What are the symptoms of seasonal allergies?
Symptoms include: Coughing, runny nose, watery eyes, itchy eyes and nose, congestion, sneezing and a general sense of feeling badly.
Histamines are molecules within the body that are released by cells in response to an allergy, and the histamines cause the common symptoms of itching, watery eyes, sneezing and cough. An allergic reaction can also cause an inflammatory response, including swelling, congestion, headache and dark undereye circles.
How are seasonal allergies treated?
Common antihistamine over-the-counter medications can ease symptoms, including Benadryl, Zyrtec and Claritin. Those medications help with itchy, watery eyes, sneezing and cough. Antihistamines don’t help with inflammation that comes with an allergic reaction, so doctors may also prescribe or recommend an over-the-counter nasal spray. Those include Nasonex, Flonase and Nasacourt, to name a few.
How can you tell the difference between allergies and a cold?
The time of year matters, as pollen counts are typically higher during the warmer months. If someone experiences an allergic reaction to pollen once, they will typically experience the same reaction each year around that same time, which generally includes the same symptoms.
Common peak allergy times – spring and fall – are not common times people experience colds, so that can help differentiate between the two. Also, if there is a fever in addition to the nasal and inflammatory symptoms, that is almost always a cold.
When is it time to see an allergist?
Allergists are doctors who specialize in the treatment of allergies, and, sometimes, pediatricians recommend further treatment from a specialist like an allergist.
People who struggle with allergies are typically allergic to multiple things, which can make allergens difficult to avoid.
When an allergy sufferer has tried all of the medications and is still miserable, it is time to see an allergist. Allergy shots would be the next step in treatment, which is a four-year commitment to one shot each week.
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Sources:
Centers for Disease Control: https://www.cdc.gov/climate-health/php/effects/allergens-and-pollen.html
HelpMommy: https://helpmommy.com/seasonal-allergies/
