Treatment Options For Fall Allergies
If you suffer from weed pollen allergies, your symptoms will last throughout fall if left untreated. Here are some tips for allergy relief:
- Take over-the-counter allergy medications, such as Zyrtec, Claritin, Allegra or their generic equivalents.
- If you feel drainage from your nose down the back of your throat , use Flonase, an over-the-counter nasal spray.
- Limit exposure to allergens. For example, keep your windows closed, and shower after spending a lot of time outside, if possible.
- If your symptoms persist, talk to your doctor or see an allergist.
Is It Fall Allergies Or Covid
Your eyes itch and water and your throat feels scratchy. Your nose is runny, your head feels completely stuffed up, and your face hurts from the pressure. And you want to carry a box of tissues everywhere you go.
If these symptoms appear in late summer or fall, you may be struggling with fall allergies.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, though, how will you know if you are dealing with fall allergy symptoms or coronavirus symptoms? Some of the symptoms are common to both fall allergies and COVID-19. It will be helpful for you to navigate this unusual fall allergy season by understanding and managing your seasonal allergies to fall pollens, such as ragweed, moldor other allergens.
What Are Dust Mites
Dust mites eat skin cells that are shed by people. They thrive in warm, humid environments, such as bedding, upholstered furniture and carpeting. While its nearly impossible to kill them, there are things you can do to prevent them.
Preventive measures include using allergen-proof bedcovers, washing your bedding weekly, keeping the humidity low in your home, dusting and vacuuming regularly, eliminating dust-collecting clutter, installing tile or hardwood floors in your home, avoiding bedcovers that easily trap dust and buying stuffed toys that can be washed.
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Stay Away From Triggers
You can ease your allergy symptoms by avoiding or reducing your exposure to triggers. For seasonal allergies, you should:
- Stay indoors as much as possible during peak pollen counts and windy days. Ragweed is highest in the morning. Tree and grass pollens peak in the early evening.
- Close windows and use your air conditioner.
- Wear glasses or sunglasses to keep pollen out of your eyes.
- Wear a mask when you work outdoors.
For perennial allergies to indoor animals and pests:
- Use dust mite-proof covers for pillows and mattresses.
- Wash your sheets and blankets often in hot water.
- Keep humidity levels down in your home with dehumidifiers and air conditioning.
- Wash your hands after you touch animals.
- Keep your pet out of your bedroom while you sleep.
- Replace carpets with hardwood, tile, or linoleum flooring.
- Use a HEPA filter on your HVAC system and your vacuum.
Saline rinses. They can ease nasal congestion and wash allergens and extra mucus out of your nose. You can use a premixed solution in a squeeze bottle or a neti pot. Use distilled, sterile, or boiled water if you decide to make the saline mixture yourself. Use purified water to rinse and sterilize the bottle or neti pot after each use. Let them air dry.
Although thereâs no cure for hay fever, if you work with your doctor, stick to your treatment plan, and avoid the triggers for your seasonal and perennial allergies, you can manage your symptoms before they manage you.
Fall Mold Allergies: Your Sneezing Isnt Just From Pollen
In early fall, many people begin experiencing seasonal allergies as a result of ragweed pollen. As the fall goes on, though, those allergies persist, even though the pollen subsides. This is usually because of a second contributing factor: mold. Mold allergies are an ofter-overlooked component of seasonal allergic reactions. Heres what you need to know about fall mold allergies and what you can do to keep your symptoms minimal.
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What Are The Most Common Fall Allergies
The fall allergy season usually starts towards the middle of August and lasts well until October or November, when freezing temperatures kill off the last remaining pollinating plants. However, exactly when this happens varies depending on where you live in the United States.
Someone living in southern Florida will have a much longer struggle than, say, someone living in Maine.
Until temperatures drop, you still have to cope with your fall allergy symptoms.
Heres how to identify whether youre suffering from allergies, and if you are, how to get a bit of relief from allergies.
Six Ways To Fight Fall Allergies Naturally
There are several ways you can effectively prepare for and treat fall allergies without using over-the-counter or prescription medications. Here are six of the best:
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How To Control Mold Allergies
As with all allergies, the key to controlling mold allergies is to limit exposure to the allergen. In this case, that means having less exposure to mold spores. People who suffer from mold allergies can control their symptoms by spending less time outdoors, particularly during and immediately after the autumn rainy season. If you have moderate to severe mold allergies, its also a good idea to have someone else rake and bag the leaves in your yard. Raking leaves can stir up mold spores, which in turn tends to aggravate mold allergies.
To help keep spores away, you can also use a home air purifier with a HEPA filter. Mold spores are large enough for HEPA filter material to capture quite effectively. For even more protection, you can consider using an air purifier that also features a UV lamp. UV light has the ability to neutralize biological contaminants in the air, including mold spores. To find the right unit for your needs, browse out complete selection of air purifiers for mold.
While fall mold allergies can be unpleasant, they are manageable as long as you can avoid the spores that trigger them. Simple behavioral changes are often enough to keep allergies under control. If you suffer from allergies that last after the ragweed pollen is largely gone, consider using an air purifier and avoiding mold sources to help minimize your symptoms.
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How Youre Making Your Allergies Worse During Fall
Youre soaking up the great outdoors.
As you should be! We cant think of better ways to enjoy the beautiful fall weather than farmers markets and morning hikes. But if youre a seasonal allergy sufferer, any time spent outdoors can stir up symptoms. You dont have to head inside for good, but do reconsider your timing.
Pollen counts are highest from early morning until 10 a.m., so try to postpone your activity until later in the day, suggests Rachna Shah, M.D., allergist and faculty member of Loyola School of Medicine.
You let the outside in.
Mold spores and pollen can stick to everything, including hair, skin, and clothing, Dr. Shah says. You probably dont even realize youre doing it, but theres a good chance youre tracking irritants into the house. Minimize your risk with the following tips:
Wear a face mask when you rake leaves outdoors to avoid breathing in mold spores.
Throw your clothes into the washer and head straight for the shower when youre done biking or gardening,
Brush or wipe down pets after walks. Pollen can hitchhike into your homeand onto your couch, bed, or wherever else your dog likes to hang out.
Leave your shoes outside. Forget dirt and mudyou could be traipsing pollen and mold throughout the house. No outside area? Keep them in a separate closet.
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Symptoms Of Fall Season Allergies In Dogs
Oftentimes, dog owners attribute just a few symptoms to allergies, such as sneezing and itchy, watery eyes. Dogs, however, show allergic reactions in different ways. Symptoms of fall season allergies in dogs include:
- Skin itchiness
- Redness and irritation on the skin
- Painful stomach
- Scratching and chewing on feet or skin
- Sneezing
- Reverse sneezing
Types
Fall season allergies in dogs are usually caused by the seasonal plants releasing pollen into the air. Other types of fall season allergies include:
- Dust mite allergies
- Contact allergies to indoor surfaces
Allergy Drops Can Help Build The Bodys Tolerance
When all your avoidance efforts and the over-the-counter medications dont do the trick, then its time to call your allergist. A board-certified allergist can prescribe more intensive remedies to bring your current symptoms under control and develop a preventative plan using allergen immunotherapy that can help you avoid the misery of seasonal allergies in the future. Rather than reducing symptoms after they have started, allergen immunotherapy helps your body develop resistance to the pollen particles so that your symptoms are significantly reduced and much less severe. Oral allergy drops now offer a convenient, safe and effective option for patients who dont want to be bothered with weekly allergy injections in the doctors office. An individualized extract prescription is prepared for each patient based on the results of allergy testing. Patients then take a daily dose of their drops and advance through build up dilutions to reach their maintenance dose in just one month. That makes now a great time to consider allergy drops as a way to fend off your fall allergies.
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What Is The Cause Of Allergy Symptoms In The Fall
Ragweed is the main culprit this time of year. It grows wild almost everywhere, but especially on the East Coast and in the Midwest. Ragweed blooms and releases pollen from August to November, with pollen counts peaking in mid-September. Follow the daily #AtlantaAllergyPollenCount and mold activity on our website or .
Ragweed pollen is very light and can travel far when carried by the wind. Considered the most allergenic of all the pollens, those allergic should avoid being outside during mid-day when counts are highest and follow our other tips for surviving high pollen days.
If you are allergic to ragweed pollen, you may experience itching of the tongue, mouth and lips after eating foods like melons, bananas and zucchini due to cross-reactivity. This is known as Oral Allergy Syndrome and occurs when the immune system reacts to the proteins in certain foods as they are similar to the proteins in pollens.
Causes Of Fall Season Allergies In Dogs
With allergy sufferers, an over-reactive immune system is the culprit to specific allergens. Specific causes of fall season allergies in dogs are:
- Hypersensitive immune system to a particular agent
- The immune system attacking an agent that is otherwise harmless
- The overactive immune system causing an allergic reaction, such as atopic dermatitis
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Fall Mold Allergy Treatments
There are, of course, other molds to consider, but in the spirit of fall allergies it is important to stick with your antihistamine or allergy medication routine and carry your inhaler with you at all times.
Molds are lighter and float in the air more during the day, becoming heavier and settling to the ground at night.
Limit your outdoor exposure during the day if you are having difficulty. If you do need to go outside, consider wearing a face mask.
The Results For Me Have Been Truly Amazing
I think that I was pretty close to the worst case scenario, but I would, and have, strongly recommended Colorado Allergy and Asthma to others who suffer from Allergies. The results for me have been truly amazing. Its hard to envision life without the misery of allergy symptoms until they are gone. I feel like a completely different person. Ted G.
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Fall Warm Temps Make Us Think Its Still Summer
The coming of fall doesnt automatically mean cool weather. Unseasonably warm weather for longer periods of time is no longer a rare occurrence. Mild temperatures along with rain can promote plant and pollen growth, while wind accompanying rainfall can stir pollen and mold into the air, heightening symptoms for fall allergy sufferers. Because fall allergies may start earlier and last longer, its important to begin taking your allergy medications at least two weeks before your symptoms normally start. And dont stop your medications until pollen counts have been down for about two weeks usually after the first frost.
How To Cope With Fall Allergies
The best way to try to prevent allergy issues is to try to stay away from the things youre allergic to. The mainstay of therapy is avoidance, Dr. Aronica says.
But that can be difficult when youre allergic to pollen, which blows in the crisp autumn breeze and settles on everything in its path. He explains how to fight fall allergies.
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Back To School Back To Allergies
If your child suddenly seems to have a constant runny nose, itchy eyes, a cough and sneezing, they could be dealing with allergens in their classroom. Kids can be allergic to dust in the classroom, or there might be pollen coming in through open windows. And dont forget about mold often found in bathrooms and locker rooms as well as dander from pets that other kids may bring in on clothing and backpacks. If your child seems to have symptoms that came on around the time school started, make an appointment with an allergist. An allergist can set your child on the right track, for the long term, to handle their allergies or asthma.
Are My Fall Allergies Worse This Year
Hearing the word allergies usually brings to mind blooming flowers and clouds of pollen floating in the air all during springtime.
Most people dont associate allergies with the fall season. Yet starting around mid-September this year, more people seem to be sneezing with runny noses and itchy eyes.
Denise Sanchez-Tejera, MD, an allergist with Rochester Regional Health, discusses the source of fall allergies and how to get ahead of them.
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How Is It Possible Your Seasonal Allergies Cause Hearing Loss
by Hearing Aid HealthCare | Jan 18, 2018 | Hearing Loss Articles
Each new year and every new season brings with it the stuffy nose and itchy eyes that means allergies, but does that also mean youll have hearing loss? It might surprise you to know there is a connection for many people. You dont necessarily associate hearing with the immune system, after all. It is not that simple. Your hearing is a complex sense, one that can be affected by an allergic reaction. So, what should you do if your allergies affect your hearing?
Tell Us About The Fight For Air Climb
The American Lung Associations Fight For Air Climb is the nations premier stair climbing challenge. At 38 events nationwide, children and adults of all ages participate in this celebratory stair-climbing adventure. Pre-pandemic, the Fight For Air Climb was held in several of our countrys most iconic skyscrapers. This year, the Lung Association invited participants outdoors for a one-of-a-kind adventure to support healthy lungs and clean air. In fact, Dale was among the companys team of more than 50 employees that climbed the stairs at Milwaukees American Family Field on May 22nd, proving he puts his feet, time, and talent behind causes he supports.
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What Are The Most Common Allergies In The Fall And Winter And What Are Their Symptoms
Allergic rhinitis, better known as hay fever, is a leading cause of chronic disease. Sometimes we dismiss the runny, itchy nose and watery eyes as a mild irritation, when it can really make people feel miserable and affect their quality of life. The most common fall allergies come from high levels of ragweed pollen and mold spores, which tend to peak in the fall. Mold growth can spike with the warmth and humidity of the summer and persists through the fall. Meanwhile, ragweed pollen levels rise in late August and can last until the first frost.
Fall allergy sufferers usually grapple with sneezing, itchy eyes, congestion, post-nasal drip, cough, itchy and runny nose. General fatigue and recurrent sinus infections are also common. Asthmatics and eczema sufferers may also find they are more likely to have flare ups from allergens, temperature and humidity changes.
Unfortunately for many children with allergies, winter can also bring its own set of challenges. That’s because both indoor allergens and cold-weather irritants can trigger symptoms, too. Irritants such as dry, cold outside air, and recycled particle-filled indoor air can lead to congestion, sore throat and sneezing. Being inside so much in the winter can also lead children to be exposed to other allergens such as pets, indoor mold and dust mites. If your child’s symptoms worsen when they enter your home or their school, they may also suffer from indoor, environmental allergies.
