Are Allergies Bad In Houston Right Now

Common Allergens In Houston

At certain times of the year, Houston is at its highest allergy levels. Looking at Houston’s Health Departments allergy index, in March, tree pollen is very heavy.

The symptoms of allergies listed above may occur when your body thinks that typically harmless allergens are actually harmful antigens and it releases histamine into your bloodstream. However, what are Houston’s allergy causes that bring on these symptoms in people?

Several allergens in Houston can affect you. By knowing the allergens you’re allergic to and receiving treatment, you can improve your symptoms and feel better and possibly even avoid the allergens in the first place. Some common allergens in the Houston area that allergy sufferers deal with are as follows.

Allergy Treatment In Houston Texas

At Aspire Allergy & Sinus we offer a selection of allergy treatments for both seasonal and environmental allergies. We have clinics in Houston and its surrounding areas, all ready to service you! We have clinics in, The Woodlands, Kingwood, Cypress, Katy, Sugar Land, Uptown Houston, Pearland, and Webster!

Pollen And Mold: Tuesday October 11 2022

Houston pollen and mold count All counts below are in cubic meter air

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Texas Is One Of The Worst Places For Allergies And Heres Why

In 2011, I moved to Texas from North Georgia, where I enjoyed all sorts of outdoor activities including, hiking, biking, and camping, but never had any issues with allergies.

How allergies started affecting me

That soon changed after I moved to Texas. During the first year I was fine and still maintained my hobbies outdoors however, by the second year, I began to experience seasonal sinus headaches, sinus drainage and congestion. This was all new to me and I didnât quite notice a pattern until my third year. But then I realized that I was not âimmuneâ to the great state of Texas.

The winter is what really sets Texas apart from other areas in terms of bad allergies. Most states endure cold snaps, snow, and regularly freezing temperatures that halts pollen from being spread in the air. In Texas however, the warm environment welcomes the Juniper tree to release its pollen in the air. This leads to Texasâ arguably worst allergy season to happen when a large chunk of the country isnât experiencing allergies at all.Instead of running away, you can still live here in beautiful Texas allergy free. There are plenty of ways to lessen the amount your allergies developed and allergy drops allow your body to build a resistance to these allergies so they no longer bother you.

Antihistamine And Intranasal Steroids

Antihistamine medications are easily accessible over the counter without a prescription. They work by blocking the histamine that inflammatory cells release from its receptor during an allergy response. You’ll even find antihistamines that won’t make you drowsy like the older generation medications did.

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How Is It Diagnosed

If you think you are allergic to ragweed pollen, see a board-certified allergist. They will ask you about your medical history, do a physical exam and allergy testing. They may do a skin prick test to confirm your allergy.

For prick/scratch testing, the doctor or nurse places a small drop containing ragweed pollen on your skin. They will then lightly prick or scratch your skin with a needle through the drop. If you are sensitive to ragweed, you will develop redness, swelling and itching at the test site within 15 minutes. Sometimes your doctor may take a blood test to see if you have the antibody to ragweed.

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A Brief Overview Of Texas Seasonal Allergies

Allergies affect more than 50 million people in the United States. Texass allergy season begins in September and is followed by a dry winter. It has terrible allergy levels due to climate cycles and weather patterns.

For some people living in this state, allergy season can be a painful time of year. Lets take a deeper look at Texass seasonal allergies and how you can prevent any irritating allergy symptoms.

What Time Of Year Do Allergens Appear

• Mold is present to varying degrees all year, with higher counts in summer and fall
• Cedar pollen causes allergic reactions in many Central Texans. Counts typically peak in January to early February
• Oak peaks between end of March and the beginning of April
• Pecan counts peak end of April to the beginning of May
• Grass is indistinguishable under a microscope. It can last from March to September, with the highest counts typically appearing in May and June
• Elm counts peak between the end of February and the beginning of March
• Ash counts peak between the end of February and the beginning of March
• Ragweed season starts in August and can last through November. Its highest typically from the end of September to the beginning of October

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Why Your Allergies Are Terrible Right Now

ByAlice LevittFebruary 10, 2017

Cedar pollen at work.

Image: Shutterstock

If we spent too much time thinking about every particle in the air we breathe, we would all quickly suffocate. One prime member of the motley band, the cedar pollen pictured above. And if you live in the Houston area, chances are, traces of it are resting in your nasal passages right now. For those of us without a sensitivity to cedar, that’s just sort of gross. But for those with an allergy, it can mean misery. And this year may be your biggest bummer yet.

According to Dr. J. Cary Moorhead, president of Texas ENT Specialists, because of record-high temperatures, more plants that cause sensitivities are currently thriving. January and February are typically bad news for those allergic to cedar pollen, he says, but those with additional allergies are getting a double whammy because of record-high temperatures. “We’re seeing a lot of the pollens we see later in the spring,” he says. “We’re starting to see a little oak pollen that we normally wouldn’t see .”

Because of pleasant temps, Houstonians are also venturing out to the great outdoors of the Hill Country and to the Austin area, where there are more cedars than there are here. “They’re the ones getting hit the hardest,” says Moorhead.

Sublingual immunotherapy may help you to stop sneezing.

Image: Shutterstock

Allergy Report: Austin And Central Texas

Find the latest allergen counts for Central Texas, as measured by Sheila M. Amar, M.D., and Kim T. Hovanky, M.D. of Allergy & Asthma Center of Georgetown. Whether it is cedar, mold, cottonwood, oak, ragweed, ash, pine, mulberry, elm, poplar, or any other allergen in our area, you can track recent allergy reports here.

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Why Are Allergies So Bad In Texas

In most states, allergy season is limited to spring because this is when most pollinating plants release pollen dust, which irritates the sinuses. Pollination season usually ends when spring turns to summerbut not for Texas.

Texass dry winters are to blame for residents year-round allergy issues. The mild winters allow plants to thrive and pollinate throughout the year. While other parts of the country are experiencing freezing temperatures, some Texas plants are growing and going through another season of pollination, making the winter the most unbearable season of all for people with allergies.

Consult With Houston Ent & Allergy For Your Allergy Symptoms

If you’re suffering from allergies and avoidance measures aren’t working, consult with us here at Houston ENT & Allergy. At one of our Houston ENT locations, one of our ENT doctors can perform a comprehensive physical exam and skin allergy testing to determine what the exact allergens are that are affecting you specifically. We can even find out specific Houston area allergens you’re allergic to. Well prescribe you the right treatment for your allergies so you can finally stop suffering from Houston allergy symptoms and enjoy life.

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What Can I Do About It

There is no cure for a ragweed pollen allergy. But there are ways to treat and manage it.

Track the pollen count for your area. The news media often reports the count for your area, especially when pollen is high. You also can get your areas pollen counts from the National Allergy Bureau.

Stay indoors in central air conditioning when the pollen count is high. Get a CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly® air filter for your air conditioner. If you do spend time outside, try to go out in the afternoons and evenings. Ragweed pollen peaks in mornings.

Prevent pollen from being tracked into your home. If you spend a lot of time outside during peak pollen time:

• Take your shoes off outside
• Dont wear your outside clothes to bed
• Cover your hair when outside or wash it at night

You might even consider moving to get away from ragweed. This will often help you feel better for a short time. But you can develop allergies to plants in your new location in a few years. And ragweed is found in every state except Alaska. A well-thought out treatment plan is a better way to live with your allergies.

Take anti-inflammatory or antihistamine medicines, and start treatment in the summer. Many over-the-counter medicines work well to control pollen allergy symptoms. They can also help eye, nose and asthma symptoms. Many newer antihistamines dont cause as much drowsiness as older ones.

With SLIT, you take a small dose of an allergen under your tongue. You also gradually become more sensitive.

Houstonians Feel Effect As Pollen Count Hits Record Highs

The numbers for pollen levels in Houston are even worse. People with allergies are in agony, looking for relief the reason why things are so bad.

HOUSTON, Texas — On Wednesday, ABC13 meteorologists said the pollen count was the highest they had ever seen it. By Thursday, those numbers were even worse.

People with allergies are in agony. They’re looking for relief and the reason behind why things are so bad this season.

The numbers coming out from the Houston Health Department are breaking records. For the tree pollen count, anything over 1,500 is considered extremely heavy. Thursday’s count was 12,477, which is the most pollen ever recorded in our air.

The sure signs of springtime in Houston are sunshine, blue skies, and yellow pollen piled up everywhere.

“I definitely felt it. I even talked to a couple of my friends, as well. They were having similar symptoms,” said Kirby Chenkin, a cyclist and health influencer who spends a lot of time outdoors, who said he’s never experienced allergies this intense.

“All of a sudden, I just started getting a ton of mucus and just drainage in my sinuses,” he said.

Data from the city shows this is the worst documented allergy season, considering tree pollen that Houstonians have ever had to suffer through. Horticulturists with Texas A& M said what happened in February 2021 is part of the reason why.

For updates on this story, follow Briana Conner on , and .

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Allergies In Houston Tx

If you’ve lived in Houston for any period of time, you’re familiar with Houston allergies. Suddenly your eyes feel itchy, your nose is running and you feel like you’re sneezing every five minutes. With our mild climate we often experience allergy symptoms during all four seasons, fall allergies, spring allergies, summer allergies and sometimes even winter allergies.

Allergens are fierce here in Houston, which is why we here at Texas Sinus & Snoring want to help you understand what is happening and what you can do to help relieve the symptoms.

Staying On Top Of Bad Allergies In Houston

There are many things you can do to combat your Houston allergy symptoms and causes.

• Clean areas of your home that accrue dust and dander. What are dust and dander? Tiny particles of matter from the environment and from the skin and fur of animals.
• Vacuum and wash dust-collecting blinds, carpet, bedding, and curtains
• Keep mold-collecting areas such as bathrooms and kitchens clean and dry
• Wash and brush your pets regularly

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Most Common Allergens In Houston Texas

Allergy season is bad each year in Houston. And, according to Houston Chronicle article, Dr. Joshua Septimus, an internist associated with Weill Cornell Medical School and Houston Methodist Hospital, hasn’t seen a year yet that wasn’t severe. It’s really about to what degree of severity it is.

The overall allergic rhinitis prevalence worldwide has been trending higher over the past 30 years even more in developing countries. Allergies, however, are more commonplace in the U.S. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimates allergic rhinitis affects around 20 million adults and 6.1 million children.

This upward trend has no clear explanation, however, there is the “hygiene” theory which implies if you can limit bacteria exposure in early childhood, this could make it so the immune system later on in life becomes more reactive to often harmless agents like dust mites or pollen. Also, bacteria exposure is being significantly reduced through the use of antibacterial agents in everyday products like hand soap and wipes.

Allergic rhinitis is characterized by symptoms such as:

• Nasal congestion

Of course, in addition to allergies, colds and flu are also running rampage this time of year, so be sure to read our blog post Allergies vs. Cold or Flu: DIfference and Symptoms.

Need Help With Your Allergies In Houston Visit Kaplan Sinus Relief

If standard allergy treatments arent fully addressing your allergy symptoms, Kaplan Sinus Relief is here to help. Dr. Kaplan and his experienced staff offer excellent allergy testing, as well as rhinitis and sinusitis treatments. These treatments include balloon sinuplasty for allergies, a minimally invasive, in-office procedure that can provide immense allergy symptom relief in 20 minutes or less.

Call us today at 713-766-1818 or schedule your appointment online to get one step closer to breathing easier.

Conditions We Treat

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Pollen And Mold: Friday October 14 2022

Houston pollen and mold count All counts below are in cubic meter air

How To Treat Seasonal Allergies

Get an Allergy Test

Knowing exactly what allergens are causing your allergy symptoms is the first step towards treatment. An allergy test is the only way to know this. We do allergy tests right in our office.

Avoid Allergens

When it comes to allergens it can be hard to avoid them. Especially during the yellow pollen season we see here in Houston every spring. If you have bad allergies in Houston there are are things that you can do to help. Here are some common practices that can help limit your exposure, especially during peak allergy season.

• Drink lots of water to help loosen mucous build up.
• Do regular saline nasal washes.

Allergy Immunotherapy : Get Rid of Seasonal Allergies for Good

Allergy Immunotherapy is a preventative treatment for seasonal allergies. First we identify your specific allergies with an allergy test. Then we build a treatment plan. Treatment can be in the form of drops or shots. Essentially you are given very small doses of the things you are allergic to so your body can build up immunity and will no longer react with an allergic response.

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