Are There Allergies In February

Pollen Allergy Testing And Treatment

The good news is that you dont have to suffer through tree pollen season. Be sure to contact an allergy and asthma specialist for a formal allergy evaluation, preferably before the season begins or very early in the season. You may already know that you have a seasonal allergy, but do not know just which pollen you are allergic to. Allergists can determine the specific pollens that are causing your problems and can tell you when that pollen is expected to be in the air.

Your allergist will take a detailed history of any reactions youve had, then if indicated, he or she can test for allergies to identify the culprit allergen and determine the best course of treatment.

The most common method of testing for pollen allergies is a simple skin prick test. At our office, we use a very fine stylet that is lightly pressed against the skin. The stylet introduces individual pollens and other allergens to the immune system in your skin. If youre allergic or sensitive to a particular allergen, a small pink raised bump will appear within minutes where the skin prick test was placed.

For some people, a blood test may be the best option to determine your allergic sensitivity. A small amount of your blood is taken and tested to check for antibodies that respond to specific allergens. Depending on your allergy test results, we can offer guidance about the best and most direct course of action for your symptoms.

Why Should You Start Preparing Now

You dont have to wait until you are suffering to do something about your allergies. Whether you make an appointment with an allergist or start taking medication, its important to get ahead of the pollen. Preparing now can help ease your symptoms throughout the season. If youve never been allergy tested now is a great time to do it. Learn what you are allergic to and how to treat it before your symptoms get worse.

Seasonal Allergies In New Orleans

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America releases its annual Allergy Capitals report, which collects data on the 100 most-populated metropolitan areas of the US and identifies which cities are the most challenging places to live with seasonal allergies. The city ranks are calculated based on factors such as seasonal pollen scores, allergy medication use per patient, and number of board certified allergy specialists per patient.

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How Can I Tell If My Symptoms Are Allergies Or Covid

Before you stress out, know that there’s one positive aspect when it comes to allergens in the year 2022: “Masks mean less inhalation of pollen through the nose or mouth, and that may translate to decreased symptoms for some sufferers,” explains Manisha Relan, MD, a board-certified allergist. Noted!

That said, if you’re worried about telling the difference between symptoms, whenever they do arise, listen up. The COVID and allergy symptoms that typically overlap are headaches, wheezing, and sore throat. It’s also possible to experience nasal congestion, a runny nose, and sneezing with COVID too, though these are more commonly allergy symptoms. A dry cough, shortness of breath, and loss of smell, are all likely COVID-19 symptoms, though there’s always the possibility that these are due to allergies.

Overall, though, if you’re having trouble telling if your symptoms are allergies or COVID, your best bet is to get checked out at a doctor’s office or urgent care center.

What’s Your Winter Allergies Risk

It hardly seems fair, but if you’re prone to summer allergies, chances are you’re at risk for allergies when the weather turns cold, too.

The reason is simple: Many of those warm weather irritants are around all year, like pet dander, mold, and mildew. And once you settle indoors for the chilly holiday season — the windows closed, the heater on — your exposure to these allergens spikes, says Asriani Chiu, MD, associate professor of pediatrics and medicine , at the College of Wisconsin.

The best way to handle winter allergies is to understand what’s triggering them and why. To help you do that, WebMD went to the experts and got their tips on what causes the allergies of winter, and how you can take control.

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How Long Do Seasonal Allergies Last

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 24 million Americans experience seasonal allergies, also referred to as seasonal allergic rhinitis or hay fever.

If youre experiencing an allergy, your symptoms will last for as long as youre exposed to the allergen. If youre allergic to tree pollen, for example, you may have that familiar runny nose, watery eyes and other allergy symptoms for weeks or even months while trees are blooming and tree pollen is prolific in the air.

How long seasonal allergies last differs from year to year, and it is highly dependent on the weather. When the weather is warmer and plants bloom earlier in the spring and fall, allergy season lasts longer. Your symptoms may linger as long as the pollen counts stay high.

Wondering when allergy season might begin? Take a look at the allergens common in each month of the year:

Symptoms Of Spring Allergies:

Spring allergy symptoms are typical of respiratory allergies, these include:

• Sinus Congestion
• Itchy or Watery Eyes

Determining what is causing your symptoms is the first step towards relief, in the case of spring allergies there are several things you can do to help ease your symptoms. The seasonal allergy season can be difficult to navigate.

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Consider Allergy Testing And Treatment

Even when you do everything possible to avoid allergens, sometimes it isnt enough to control the symptoms.

If you have tried over-the-counter antihistamines, neti pots / nasal irrigation, and nasal sprays but it still isnt enough, talk with your doctor to ask about allergy testing and treatment options.

When Is Allergy Season

It depends on what you’re allergic to and where you live.

If you have seasonal allergies or hay fever, tree pollens can trigger symptoms in the late winter or spring. Ragweed releases pollen in the summer and fall. The specifics also depend on where you live. Allergy season can start as early as January in Southern states and linger into November.

If you have symptoms year-round or your allergies are worse indoors, you may be allergic to dust mites or pet dander.

The key is to see your doctor and find out what’s causing your symptoms. Once you do, you’ll know when yourallergy season starts and how to prepare.

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How Are Seasonal Allergies Diagnosed

Talk with your doctor if you think your child might have seasonal allergies. The doctor will ask if the same symptoms happen at the same time each year after your child is around an allergen, and do an exam. The doctor may be able to make a diagnosis, or might refer you to an allergy doctor for allergy skin testing or a blood test.

To find which allergens cause a person’s symptoms, allergists usually do skin testing. During skin prick testing, an allergist or nurse puts a tiny bit of a liquid containing an allergen into the skin by making a small scratch or prick on the skin. They usually do skin testing on a person’s forearm or back. The allergist then waits 15 minutes or so to see if a red, raised bump, called a wheal, forms. If it does, there might be an allergy. The allergist uses a ruler to measure the wheal and the redness around it.

Even if a skin test or a blood test shows an allergy, a child must also have symptoms to be diagnosed with an allergy for sure. For example, a child who has a positive test for grass pollen and sneezes a lot while playing in the grass would be considered allergic to grass pollen.

Tips For Reducing Michigan Winter Allergy Symptoms

• Avoiding allergy triggers is the best way to control your symptoms, but sometimes your triggers can be hard to identify. Pay attention to where and when your symptoms occur.
• Keep humidity levels low in your home to reduce dust mites and mold, but be cautious of very dry air as dry air can increase allergic symptoms
• Avoid upholstered furniture and wall-to-wall carpeting if possible
• Wash bedding in hot water frequently at least once per week
• Vacuum floors and furniture regularly
• Change the filter on your homes furnace regularly
• Use dehumidifiers in damp areas of your home and basement
• Pets are a chief cause of a lot of allergies Keep pets out of your bedroom and certainly off your bed, wash any pet bedding regularly, and bathe your pets often
• Use an air purifier and change your HVAC system filters frequently during the winter

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Winter Allergies Vs Colds

Cold and winter allergy symptoms can feel very similar, making it difficult to distinguish one from the other.

It is possible to develop allergies at any age or even to become allergic to the same substances in the same house after years of no reaction. The fact that a person has not previously had allergies does not necessarily mean their symptoms are from a cold.

Symptoms that last longer than a few weeks are usually the result of allergies. Symptoms that appear suddenly, after weeks or months in the same home, may be from a cold, especially if a person does not have a history of allergies.

There are some symptoms that can help distinguish allergies from a cold:

• Colds can cause a fever, but airborne allergens will not change a personâs body temperature.
• A cold may cause aches and pains, while allergies typically do not.
• Sore throat is common with colds, but it occurs less frequently with allergies.
• A person with a cold may feel chest pressure. By contrast, only people with asthma who have allergies typically report chest pain.
• Coughs are more common with colds, although they can also occur with allergies.
• Colds go away on their own. Allergies may only self-resolve when the weather changes, and a person spends more time outside.
• Colds typically do not cause itchy rashes or eyes, whereas allergies often do.

How Can Pollen Be Combatted

Its helpful to know what specifically youre allergic to in order to know what to avoid. Allergy testing is an important first step in preventing and treating allergy symptoms.

In the meantime, there are certain measures you can take to limit pollen in your home in order to reduce symptoms.

• Limit outdoor exposure during times when pollen counts are high. Pollen.com is a great resource for finding out what the pollen levels are in your area.
• Install a quality air filter, such as a HEPA filter, in your home.
• Clean your home thoroughly, taking extra care to dust, vacuum carpet and wash bedding in hot water.
• After spending time outside, take a shower and change your clothes right away.
• Start taking a daily OTC antihistamine right away, even if you dont yet have symptoms.

For more information about allergy solutions or to schedule an appointment, call Arizona Desert ENT Specialists today.

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Can You Have Allergies In The Winter

In the winter, cold weather and shorter days drive us inside. Our windows are closed, and many homes are built tighter, with better insulation and fewer drafts. This is good for energy savings but can lead to allergy symptoms. In effect, winter seals us into our homes with our allergens, and increased exposure may make symptoms flare.

Seasonal Allergies: What You Need To Know

Pollen is an airborne substance that comes from grass, flowering plants, trees, and weeds. In the past 12 months, 19.2 million adults and 5.2 million children under 18 were diagnosed with hay fever, the name given to allergic rhinitis caused by pollen. When someone has hay fever, their immune system identifies pollen as a threat and releases signals that lead to congestion, itchy eyes, runny nose, and sneezing, as well as problems like sinus pressure and allergic conjunctivitis .

The amount of pollen in the air depends on the season and the geographic area in which you live. The study reported in PNAS found the most pronounced effects in Texas and the Midwestern United States. However, the Northeast can have a significant spring allergy season as well, Dr. Leeds says. Tree allergies are especially common in New Englandparticularly due to birch and oak. Pollen allergies can also cause a cross-reaction with certain foods in some people symptoms include an itchy or tingling mouth and throat after eating raw fruits and vegetables, seeds, and nuts.

People may also have allergic reactions to grass pollen in the late spring to early summer and weed pollen in the fall. Many people are multi-sensitized, so they are allergic to more than one type of pollen, and they can be symptomatic through all of the warm weather seasons, Dr. Leeds says. Pollen can be carried by the wind, so windy days are the worst.

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What Allergy Treatments Are Available

Treatments can help a great deal, says Dr. Hsu. Allergy treatment has changed over the past 10 years, with a number of first-line medications now available over the counter, she says. So, while we have lots of consultations with patients, we dont necessarily send a prescription to the pharmacy. We often advise people on what to buybut we want to be very specific, because there are certainly a lot of over-the-counter medications that we would not recommend as first-line treatments.

For instance, she might start with antihistamines for itching and runny nose, steroid nasal sprays for nasal passage congestion, and antihistamine eye drops for ocular symptoms. If a patient is still uncomfortable, she might recommend a decongestant, but not for daily use, since its a medication patients can become overly reliant on. Likewise, some patients should avoid antihistamines that are excessively sedating, she says.

The problem is that some people think theyll just grin and bear it. But… you can take steps to minimize those weeks of misery.Yale Medicine pediatric allergist Stephanie Leeds, MD

Its helpful when patients have a skin or blood test to find out exactly what they are allergic to. If you are really symptomatic, its helpful to get tested at least once. I dont think you need to be re-tested year after year, but at some point, establishing the specific triggers can be helpful, because then you can take steps to avoid exposure, Dr. Leeds says.

How Are Fall Allergies Diagnosed

According to Dr. Moss, the appearance of traditional allergy symptoms around the end of August or September every year is a pretty good indicator of fall allergies. One simple way to diagnose fall allergies is to treat them. “If someone’s symptoms improve with allergy treatment, you can feel pretty confident that they are symptoms due to fall allergies,” he says.

Another way to confirm allergies is to visit an allergist for a test. While some allergists do blood tests, Dr. Masood says allergy skin-prick testing is the gold standard. This skin-prick test is used in conjunction with a person’s medical history to figure out exactly what they’re allergic to.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to differentiate between a viral illness and allergies, but there are a few key things to look out for. According to Dr. Sindher, allergies rarely come with a fever, which is a symptom more commonly associated with a viral illness. And Dr. Masood says allergies are more likely to present at a specific time of year and last for weeks rather than several days, which is the typical length of a cold. “When symptoms linger, it’s more likely that you have allergies rather than the common cold,” she says. And, of course, if you are worried that you have COVID-19 for any reason, it’s important to get a test and continue following all safety protocols.

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How To Identify And Treat Winter Allergies

When the winter chills begin and cold noses run, most think to blame a cold rather than allergies, but the latter is more common than youd think. Understanding seasonal and indoor allergies can help you identify the true cause of your symptoms so you can find the most relief. Below are some strategies for tracking your allergy symptoms that may help you pinpoint the source of your suffering.

Misconceptions About Tree Pollen Allergies

Most people assume that trees with large or fragrant flowers must be the cause most allergy problems, but actually the opposite is true. Trees with showy flowers have larger, stickier pollen that quickly falls to the ground. As a result, flowering trees depend on insects to carry their pollen. Since these pollen arent blowing in the wind, youre less likely to inhale them and develop allergies to them.

Another common misconception is that you cannot develop seasonal allergies as an adult if you didnt have them as a child. Allergic reactions can come on rapidly and appear even in adulthood. It is also common when people move to new regions and are exposed to allergens they may not have been exposed to where they previously lived.

Also, people believe that there is little to no pollen near the beach but pollen can be airborne and carried for hundreds of miles well into our beach areas. While our beaches do have lower pollen counts, they also have wild grasses and plants that can increase allergic reactions.

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