How To Prevent Pollen Allergies
As with other allergies, the best way to prevent symptoms of a pollen allergy is to avoid the allergen.
Pollen is difficult to avoid, though. Still, you may be able to minimize your exposure to pollen by:
- staying indoors on dry, windy days
- having others take care of gardening or yard work during peak seasons
- wearing a dust mask when pollen counts are high
- closing doors and windows when pollen counts are high
To find out the pollen counts in your area, check an app or the weather section of your local newspaper.
What Are The Points To Know About Pollen
- Pollen that causes allergy tends to be small, light and dry. It is easily spread by wind over long distances. The pollen that gets all over your car or lawn furniture is not as much of an allergy problem as the pollen too small to be seen.
- Bright-colored flowers actually release less pollen into the air than their drab cousins. Instead they depend on insects to carry pollen from one blossom to another.
- Airborne pollen counts are usually highest early in the day just after the dew dries and on into late morning.
- There is often a burst of pollen into the air when the wind comes up just before a rainstorm. During and after the rain, however, pollen becomes damp and heavy with moisture, keeping it still and on the ground.
Is It Cedar Fever Or A Cold
Its not uncommon for people who experience cedar fever to mistake their symptoms for a cold or the seasonal flu, especially given the variety of symptoms they experience. The most common symptoms of a fever include fatigue, a sore throat, runny noses, a partial loss of smell, and, believe it or not, some people actually do run a fever.
Pine Fever: Allergic Reaction To Pine Pollen
What is the causes of pine fever? Pine fever is caused by an allergic reaction to pine tree pollen. One of the most common symptoms of pine pollen allergies is itching and tearing red eyes. Eyes can be filled with bags. There is a nose that is runny or has no sneezing or congestion. How do you treat juniper allergies? ExACT Immunoplasty, as opposed to allergy shots or allergy drops, will allow you to receive allergy immunotherapy in addition to allergy shots and allergy drops. You will have no more of a juniper allergy if you take this treatment.
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How Do I Know If I Have Allergies Or Covid
4) Patients suffering from allergies do not experience a fever. People with COVID-19 are frequently found to be doing so. In addition to allergies, patients with asthma may have symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and wheezing, among other things. COVID-19 is not known to induce wheezing in most people.
Cedar Fever: The Allergic Reaction To The Pollen Of The Ashe Juniper Tree
by James Prisker | Nov 29, 2022 | Burnable Herbs
Cedar fever is an allergic reaction to the pollen of the Ashe juniper tree, also known as the mountain cedar. The tree is native to the southwestern United States, and its pollen is most prevalent in the air from December to March. Symptoms of cedar fever include sneezing, congestion, itchy eyes, and a runny nose. The best way to avoid cedar fever is to stay indoors when the pollen is high and to wear a mask when you have to go outside.
Cedar fever is caused by an allergic reaction to mountain cedar trees. The substances in cedar pollen stimulate your immune system in a positive way. Because of cedar fever, some people may experience a slight increase in body temperature. When this condition is present, the bodys temperature usually rises to 101.5F . Cedar fever usually affects people in the months of November to March. From December to February, cedar trees produce the most pollen. If you have any extreme symptoms, it is suggested that you remove any cedar trees around your home. If you have any of these symptoms, an allergist can help you treat them and give you additional relief.
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Symptoms Of Pollen Allergies
Everyones immune system is different and allergies to pollens can cause diverse signs and symptoms. This means that diagnosing an allergy can be difficult. If you think you may have an allergy, keeping a record of your symptoms can help you and your doctor to understand what is causing your symptoms.
Tree Pollen Allergy: The Ultimate Survival Guide
The famous boxer, Joe Louis, was once quoted saying his opponent He can run, but he cant hide.
The same might be said for patients with spring tree pollen allergy symptoms. You can try to run and hide by going indoors, but eventually, you will have to go outside and face the pollen.
Avoiding Pollen
This is not the best strategy for avoidance. We just got through an awful winter in the Northeast, and everyone is itching to get outside and enjoy spring.
However, spring is also a time when allergies flare up. I am now seeing quite a lot of new patients being affected by tree pollen allergy symptoms. These effects include sneezing, red and itchy eyes and coughing.
But there is good news. I have a plan that can get you through the season without looking like you just fought Joe Louis.
Fighting Tree Pollen Allergy Symptoms
The key to fighting symptoms of pollen allergies is to not get cornered into a trap. What does this mean? Ideally, you should start taking medication at the first sign of symptoms.
Do not think, Oh, this is just one bad day. This is a mistake! Allergies do not work like this. Every year with the arrival of spring, tree pollen starts to come out and you can see its remnants on the sidewalks and cars.
This is just mother nature doing her thing so that birds and bees are fed and the life cycle of plants continues. However, this whole process is tough on patients who suffer from a tree pollen allergy.
What Should You Do?
Allergy Symptoms
Nasal Symptoms
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Complications Of Hay Fever
Hay fever can lead to complications such as sinusitis and middle ear infections . It can also have a significant impact on your daily activities.
In one study, a third of adults with hay fever reported that their symptoms had a considerable negative impact on their work, home and social life.
Children’s symptoms can disrupt their schooling and lead to delays in learning and development. Unfortunately, the peak of the grass pollen season coincides with the annual GCSE examinations.
In most cases, the negative impact can be reduced with treatment. However, see your GP if you’re concerned that hay fever is becoming an increasing problem in your life.
You should also make extra efforts to limit exposure to pollen. Read more about preventing hay fever.
Tip : Make Lifestyle Adjustments To Optimize Allergen Exposure Reduction
People with food allergies need to avoid ingesting certain ingredients, but people with environmental allergies may find it trickier to avoid their triggers. In most places, it can be nearly impossible to completely avoid airborne allergens such as pollen and grass. It still helps to minimize contact with your allergens because below a certain level of exposure to allergensâcalled your symptom thresholdâyou wonât experience any symptoms. If your exposure to allergens crosses your symptom threshold, youâll start to sneeze, itch, and coughâwhatever your reaction may be.
So how can you stay below your symptom threshold if youâre sensitized to something in your environment? It depends on your allergens. Here are tips for tackling the most common ones:2
- Keep your pets out of the bedroom.
- Use a HEPA filter and vacuum regularly.
- Wash your pet weekly in warm water.
- Stay indoors when pollen counts are high.
- Keep windows closed at home.
- Wash bedding in hot water every week.
- Change furnace and air conditioner filters.
- Wash dishes, vacuum, and keep food and garbage in closed containers.
- Donât store paper bags or cardboard boxes in your home.
- Place traps in your home.
- Clean moldy areas with bleach.
- Use a dehumidifier to reduce humidity at home.
- Fix water leaks.
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Pollen Counts: Not Always The Full Story
Its a good idea to keep an eye on the predicted pollen counts, particularly if you plan to be outdoors for a long period of time.
But even if you see a high pollen count predicted in the newspaper, on a smartphone app or on TV, it doesnt necessarily mean that you will be affected. There are many types of pollen from different kinds of trees, from grass and from a variety of weeds. As a result, a high overall pollen count doesnt always indicate a strong concentration of the specific pollen to which youre allergic.
The opposite can be true, too: The pollen count might be low, but you might find yourself around one of the pollens that triggers your allergies.
Through testing, an allergist can pinpoint which pollens bring on your symptoms. An allergist can also help you find relief by determining which medications will work best for your set of triggers.
This page was reviewed for accuracy 4/23/2018.
Unproven Methods To Test For Allergies
A number of methods claim to test for allergies, but they have not been medically or scientifically proven. They can be costly and could lead to dangerous avoidance of certain foods. The organisation representing allergists recommends that you do not use certain methods to have potential allergies tested. These methods include:
- cytotoxic food testing
Always speak with your doctor if you are thinking of using a complementary medicine or therapy to test for allergies.
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Undergo Testing To Pinpoint Allergy Triggers
An allergist is your best ally to defeat springtime allergy symptoms. The allergist can test you for a variety of allergen triggers to determine exactly which plant pollens are affecting your system.
The most common pollen-type allergens are those from plants that rely on wind pollination. Plants that are wind-pollinated release mass quantities of tiny, lightweight grains that will hopefully be carried by the breeze to female flowers.
Showy, colorful plants are rarely the allergy-causing culprits, since bright ornamental flowers are mostly pollinated by insects.
Tree species with pollen that can cause allergies include the following:
The flowers on these trees are tiny, but they can pack an allergic punch. Most trees release their pollen from March to May.
Grasses release pollen throughout summer. Allergy-triggering grasses include Kentucky bluegrass, orchard grass and timothy grass.
What Trees Cause The Most Allergy Symptoms
Some trees can cause more trouble for allergy sufferers than others. Mountain cedar, for example, is notorious for causing symptoms for allergy sufferers in Texas from December to February as it releases huge puffs of pollen visible to the naked eye and can often look like smoke in the air. Maple and oak are other prevalent and problematic trees, as they seem to also cause severe symptoms for allergy sufferers as there is not much of an âescapeâ from them.
People with tree pollen allergies sometimes assume that trees with colorful flowers — like apple or cherry trees — will trigger their symptoms. But flowering trees usually have bigger, stickier pollen that doesn’t blow in the wind or cause symptoms.
Hereâs a list of trees are what we find cause the most symptoms:
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Keeping A Record Of Your Symptoms
Keep a diary that describes your symptoms and when and where they occur. Your diary could include information about whether your symptoms occur:
- inside your home, outside or both
- for a short time or longer
- at night, during the day or when you wake up
- at a particular time of the year
- after you have been stung or bitten by an insect
- after you have had a particular food or drink
- after you have taken a particular medication, either prescription or over the counter from a pharmacy or supermarket
- after you have taken a herbal medicine.
So What Is Pollen Exactly
In technical terms, its the male fertilizing agent of flowering plants, trees, grasses, and weeds.2 In nontechnical terms, its the yellow powdery stuff that coats your car during spring.
Due to pollens microscopic size, it travels easily through the air, especially on windy days. This means that your allergic reaction might not be caused by pollen produced nearby, but rather from sources miles away. While there are thousands of plants that cause allergic reactions, the most common pollen allergy triggers are grasses, trees, and weeds. Here are some of the usual suspects for each:
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Tip : Talk To Your Healthcare Provider About Your Allergies
Start by sharing a detailed history of your symptoms, including when the symptoms arise , whether you take medications for your symptoms, and whether those medications help.
If itâs not 100 percent clear what provokes your symptoms, then you should feel empowered to ask for allergy testing. Some healthcare providers may not suggest allergy testing themselves because they believe their patients have an intuitive understanding of their symptoms. However, up to 80 percent of people with allergies are sensitized to multiple things, making it complicated to track symptoms back to the specific sources.1 Allergy testing helps clarify the symptom-and-source relationship, so you can respond to the right allergens and get more relief.
If you already have an idea of which allergens irritate your system, then you can work with your healthcare provider to create a maximally effective treatment plan. You might start by asking the following questions:
- What are the treatment options?
- Should I be taking an antihistamine?
- If I should be taking an antihistamine, should I take it on a daily basis?
- Aside from the antihistamine, are there any other medications I should take?
- If medications donât help, whatâs the next step?
- Am I a candidate for allergy shots?
Your treatment plan will likely involve both medications and lifestyle choices, which get the best results when applied together.
What Can We Expect This Year
This winter is expected to be drier than normal, which could be bad news for cedar fever sufferers. Rain is needed to help wash away the pollen and prevent it from flying everywhere.
Dry, windy days are the worst. We will see plumes of yellow juniper pollen floating through the air and landing on cars, sidewalks and people.
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When Is There Most Pollen
Different trees and plants produce their pollen at different times of the year. Depending on which type of pollen you’re allergic to, you may experience hay fever symptoms at different times.
In the UK, the pollen count season is usually separated into 3 periods:
- tree pollen late March to mid-May
- grass pollen mid-May to July
- weed pollen end of June to September
However, the pollen count season can sometimes begin as early as January or end in November. For example, depending on the weather conditions, sometimes there can be an “early spring” or a “long summer”.
When Is Pollen Season
Each plant has its own pollen season. Different parts of the country have different pollinating plants and, therefore, different pollen seasons.
Pollen season in most regions of the country often starts in the spring. But it may begin as early as January in the southern part of the U.S. The season usually lasts until November.
“Pollen typically starts affecting allergy sufferers in the spring and summer,” said Dennis E. Rademaker, DO, a Franciscan Physician Network allergist in Munster, Indiana. “There are different types of pollen, and it can affect each person differently, depending on the type of tree or grass from which it came.”
Plants that have powdery granules of pollen that are easily blown by the wind can trigger pollen allergies. These include:
- Trees: oak, western red cedar, elm, birch, ash, hickory, poplar, sycamore, maple, cypress, walnut, catalpa, olive and pecan
- Grasses: Timothy, Johnson, Bermuda, orchard, sweet vernal, red top and some blue grasses
- Weeds: ragweed, sagebrush, pigweed, tumbleweed, Russian thistle and cockle weed
Some pollens are known for triggering allergies that they have their own allergy season names. Examples include “ragweed season” for ragweed pollen and “cedar fever” for reactions to the pollen of a juniper tree known as the mountain cedar.
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Don’t Let Outdoor Allergies Keep You Indoors
If you are one of the millions of Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies, know your condition should not sentence you to a life spent inside. It’s possible to manage your symptoms so that you can enjoy outdoor activities – including outdoor sports.
Seasonal allergies should not be the sole reason to not participate in sports outdoors, said Francine Pearce, MD, of Specialty Physicians Of Illinois, LLC. Tinley Park Pediatrics, an independent physician who chooses to practice at Franciscan Health.
“For the average patient, using an antihistamine such as Zyrtec or Claritin will likely be enough to keep the symptoms at bay. The best antihistamine is the one that works for you,” she says. “So, if one antihistamine doesn’t work, I would suggest trying another brand. They are similar, but they’re not identical, so you will want to find that one will work better for you.”
If you are struggling with seasonal allergies, talk to your primary care provider today. With proper management, you can get your allergy symptoms under control.
Christina Ciaccio Md Msc
Christina Ciaccio, MD, MSc, provides compassionate care for children and adults with food and environmental allergies, allergic rhinitis, urticaria and angioedema, allergic rashes and asthma. She strongly believes in educating patients and their families, and involving them in the care process in a meaningful way.
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