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What Symptoms Do Pollen Allergies Cause

How Do I Manage Hay Fever

How to Recognize Pollen Allergy Symptoms — From the makers of ZYRTEC®

These unpleasant and sometimes debilitating symptoms can be relieved by avoidance of the allergic triggers and the use of antihistamines. Find our 3 top tips below:

  • Monitor pollen forecasts daily and stay indoors wherever possible when the count is high . Rain washes pollen from the air so counts should be lower on cooler, wet days
  • On high pollen days, shower and wash your hair after arriving home and change your clothing
  • Avoid drying washing on a clothes-line outside when pollen counts are high
  • Apply an effective allergen barrier balm around the edge of each nostril to trap or block pollens and other allergens and help prevent a reaction.
  • For more detailed information about hay fever and for more useful tips on management and treatment, please find further useful resources below.

    What Is An Allergic Reaction

    An allergic reaction is the way your body responds to the allergen. A chain of events occur that result in an allergic reaction.

    If you are prone to allergies, the first time youre exposed to a specific allergen , your body responds by producing allergic antibodies. The job of these antibodies is to find the allergens and help remove them from your system. As a result, a chemical called histamine is released and causes symptoms of allergies.

    Are Allergies Worse In The Winter

    Allergies depend on your triggers and your bodys reaction. When your symptoms flare because of pollen, you go indoors and get relief. Winter allergies can seem worse because the triggers are inside your home and workplace, so its harder to get away from them.

    Dry air heightens allergy symptoms. With the heat running all winter, indoor air dries out your skin and nasal membranes. They get sore or cracked. A secondary infection risk goes up with cracked skin or nosebleeds, which happen more often in the dry winter air.

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    Nasal Allergy Symptom : Sneezing

    If youâve ever had a bout of uncontrollable sneezing, you know what a nuisance it can be. Some people have such severe sneezing episodes that they interfere with their daily life. But sneezing doesnât have to be that serious to seek relief.

    If you canât avoid the allergen thatâs causing the sneezing, or if doing so doesnât help, try an over-the-counter antihistamine. Be sure to read and follow the directions on the label for any over-the-counter medicine. If that doesnât help, your doctor may prescribe a nasal steroid spray.

    What Are Some Pollen Allergy Causes

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    Some people experience an allergic reaction to pollen because their immune system falsely believes pollen is dangerous. In an attempt to fight this unknown foreign invader, the immune system releases antibodies to attack these pollen particles. This process produces a chemical called histamine, which is one of the biggest pollen allergy causes and the major reason for the person experiencing pollen allergy symptoms.

    People with pollen allergies may also have a tendency to develop mold and dust allergy and lead to certain other indoor allergies as well.

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    Immunotherapy For Allergies To Pollen

    In some cases, your clinical immunology/allergy specialist may suggest allergen immunotherapy which is also known as desensitisation. It involves a series of injections, tablets, sprays or drops given under the tongue of very small doses of the allergen over a long time. This can help to improve tolerance of the pollens that are triggering your allergy and reduce symptoms.

    Living With A Pollen Allergy

    If you have a pollen allergy, the best thing you can do is to avoid being exposed to pollen. You can do this by:

    • staying indoors until after midday on windy days and during the pollen season
    • avoiding going outside after thunderstorms, particularly when there are high pollen counts
    • protecting your eyes with sunglasses, showering when you arrive home, and rinsing your eyes with water
    • avoiding mowing the grass, or wear a mask if you have to go near mown grass
    • keeping windows closed at home and in the car, and using recirculating air conditioning in the car
    • not picnicking in parts or the country during the pollen season
    • removing any weeds that trigger your symptoms from around your house, especially from outside your bedroom window

    If you are exposed to pollen, rinse your eyes with water and take an antihistamine.

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    Things You Should Know Aboutallergy

    • 09 Jul, 2020

    Allergies can cause all kinds ofunpleasant, distracting symptoms, from digestive upsets and headachesto respiratory trouble and runny eyes. However, you may also haveexperienced another few hallmark symptoms of allergy problems:fatigue, drowsiness, and mental sluggishness.

    If you have had noticeable troublegathering your thoughts, maintaining your alertness, or even stayingawake during the day, you need to understand how your allergies maycreate or aggravate your tiredness. Take heed of the following fourkey points about allergy-related fatigue.

    1. Allergens Cause BiochemicallyBased Fatigue

    An allergic reaction occurs when yourimmune system goes into battle by mistake, attacking a harmlesssubstance as if it were a virus or other germ. It does this byinstructing mast cells to produce antibodies for release into thebloodstream. These antibodies belong to a category known asimmunoglobulin E.

    In addition to immunoglobulin E, theimmune system releases a substance called histamine. When both ofthese substances produce an inflammatory reaction in the body, youmay experience a sense of tiredness alongside other, more obviousallergic symptoms.

    2. Allergic Sinusitis Can CauseBrain Fog

    Individuals who feel dazed and unableto think well often describe their problem as brain fog. While brainfog may occur in association with many health problems, most notablyfibromyalgia, it can also occur as a side effect of a conditioncalled allergic sinusitis.

    How Do You Know When Its Your Allergy Season

    What Are Pollen Allergies and How Can You Manage Them?

    You will know when its allergy season depending on the time of the year, knowing what you are allergic to, and if/when you are having any allergy-related symptoms. Many allergy sufferers suffer from pollen allergies, so it is safe to assume that spring and summer will be the allergy season for many individuals.

    If you have a mold allergy, the allergy season may only be in the rainy months, when mold growth is at its highest. Additionally, the mold may be in damp places like basements and bathrooms of your house, giving you symptoms all year long.

    Knowing your allergy causes will give you an advantage in figuring out when your specific allergy season is beginning.

    If you are having allergy symptoms all year long, but it is worse during certain seasons, you may have seasonal allergies as well as chronic allergies to something you are always exposed to

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    Symptoms Of Nasal Allergies

    • Clear nasal discharge with sneezing, sniffing, and itching of nose
    • Eye allergies also can occur
    • Ear and sinus congestion or fullness can occur
    • Throat can also feel scratchy or have a tickly feeling at times
    • Itchy ear canals, itchy skin or hoarse voice sometimes also occur
    • Symptoms happen during pollen season
    • Same symptoms during the same month of the last year
    • Past diagnosis by a doctor is helpful
    • No fever

    Are Allergies In Kids Different Than In Adults

    It can be especially difficult to control allergies in kids, Dr. Leeds says, adding that kids tend to spend more time outdoors and, thus, are exposed to more pollen. A high pollen count day is not going to deter them from going to the playground, says Dr. Leeds. Thats unlike an adult who might say, ‘Im going to drive my car to work, keep the windows rolled up, and not take that walk during lunch.’

    Another difference is that allergies in adults are usually well-established, while in kids there is the hope that they will outgrow them, Dr. Leeds says.

    With kids, we talk about the concept of atopy, which is an allergic predisposition, she says. For a child with a strong family history of any allergiesand especially for those who develop symptoms early in lifedoctors look out for the four main allergic diseases: eczema, food allergies, nasal allergies, and asthma. These allergic diseases, in general, are increasing in prevalence, she says.

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    What Is A Pollen Allergy

    Pollen is one of the most common triggers of seasonal allergies. Many people know pollen allergy as hay fever. Experts usually refer to pollen allergy as seasonal allergic rhinitis.

    Each spring, summer and fall, plants release tiny pollen grains to fertilize other plants of the same species. Most of the pollens that cause allergic reactions come from trees, weeds and grasses. These plants make small, light and dry pollen grains that travel by the wind.

    Grasses are the most common cause of allergy. Ragweed is a main cause of weed allergies. Other common sources of weed pollen include sagebrush, pigweed, lambs quarters and tumbleweed. Certain species of trees, including birch, cedar and oak, also produce highly allergenic pollen.

    Plants fertilized by insects, like roses and some flowering trees, like cherry and pear trees, usually do not cause allergic rhinitis.

    Can Pollen Cause Hives

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    Though hives are an unusual reaction when it comes to pollen, it has been known to happen from time to time. Though hives generally arise from food and animal-based allergens, according to Neda Skin Solutions, physical exposure to certain types of pollen can result in the appearance of hives.

    This is generally not a problem, as there are many over-the-counter creams to help soothe hives topically. However, things can go quite wrong if the hives develop somewhere like the inside of the mouth or throat, as they can obstruct breathing. If you know that your allergic reaction to pollen is this severe, be sure to have a personal automatic epinephrine injector on hand at all times, after consulting with a doctor, of course.

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    What Are The Different Types Of Pollen Allergy

    Types of pollen differs from plant to plant and there are several hundred plants that release pollen into the air and cause allergic reactions. Which is why, it is quite possible that a particular type of pollen might not affect two different people the same way.

    For e.g., Person A might be allergic to grass pollen. So, when he is around ragweed pollen, his allergic reactions might not get triggered.

    Seasonal changes can also trigger a pollen allergy as they play a key role in pollen count. Some of the most common allergens are

    Talking About The Weather

    Whats the spring allergy outlook where you live? Will sudden temperature changes trigger an asthma flare? Weather can play a key role in asthma and allergy symptoms and flu transmission. We partnered with Weather Trends International to provide weather forecasting and analysis for people with asthma and allergies.

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    What Is Hay Fever

    People affected by hay fever experience an allergic reaction to pollenfrom plants. The type of allergic reaction involved in hay fever an allergic rhinitis reaction, which may involve a skin rash called hives, as well as coughing, sneezing and itchty, watery eyes. Allergic rhinitis is one of the atopic diseases a set of genetically inherited conditions including asthma, atopic eczema and atopic dermatitis.

    Plants produce more during the early spring and summer months. For this reason,the allergic rhinitis that occurs in hay fever can also be described as seasonal rhinitis.Both adults and children can suffer from hay fever and it is estimated to affect between40 and 60 million people in the United States.

    Nasal Allergy Symptom : Itchy Eyes

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    Itchy or watery eyes are a common allergy symptom. Although they can be annoying, eye symptoms donât usually cause serious eye or vision problems.

    Again, avoiding the triggers that cause your allergies is the best way to help prevent itchy eyes. For example, if youâre allergic to pollen, keep the windows shut when youâre inside and wear sunglasses outside to help protect your eyes. Try not to rub your eyes, since this can irritate them, and avoid wearing contact lenses.

    To soothe your eyes, try placing a cold washcloth over them or use artificial tears. Over-the-counter or prescription allergy medications or eyedrops that contain an antihistamine can also help relieve symptoms.

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    Cold Allergy Can Last For Years

    Stating that the easiest way to prevent cold allergy is to avoid cold weather, Prof. Dr. Dilad Mungan said, We put the patient’s skin in contact with ice as a test method to detect cold allergy. After this contact, which lasts between 5 and 10 minutes, we look at the reactions of the skin and whether it is red or swollen. In its treatment, the first step is to prevent attacks, that is, to prevent exposure to cold. The use of allergy medications under the control of a doctor as a preventative in cold weather even if the situation is serious, it is recommended that patients carry pre-filled pen-shaped adrenaline injectors with them. Dressing tightly without coming into contact with cold air, not consuming ice cream and ice-cream products, and avoiding cold water activities are also of great importance in the treatment. “said.

    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.

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    How Is Allergic Rhinitis Treated

    Several allergy medications can improve symptoms and help you live with hay fever. These treatments come in many forms, including liquids, pills, eye drops, nasal sprays and injections. Talk to your provider before taking any medication, especially if youre pregnant or have other health concerns. Your provider may suggest:

    Antihistamines: Antihistamine medications are available with a prescription or over the counter. They work by blocking the histamine that your body releases during an allergic response. Antihistamines come as pills, liquids, eye drops, nasal sprays and inhalers. They include:

    • Loratadine .
    • Fexofenadine .
    • Levocetirizine .

    Antihistamines can cause drowsiness. Avoid alcohol when taking antihistamines, especially if youre going to drive.

    These medications relieve congestion in the nose and sinuses. You can take decongestants by mouth or use a nasal spray. They include:

    • Afrin® nasal spray.
    • Phenylephrine nasal spray .
    • Pseudoephedrine .

    Corticosteroid nasal sprays: These sprays and inhalers reduce inflammation and relieve symptoms of hay fever. The most common nasal sprays are Flonase®, Nasacort® and Rhinocort®. Side effects include headaches, nasal irritation, nosebleeds and cough.

    Your provider might recommend immunotherapy in the form of a pill that you place under your tongue.

    Symptoms Of Allergic Rhinitis

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    Your symptoms can vary, depending on the severity of your allergies. Symptoms can include:

    • Sneezing.
    • Itching .
    • Runny nose.
    • Pressure in the nose and cheeks.
    • Ear fullness and popping.
    • Watery, red, or swollen eyes.
    • Dark circles under your eyes.
    • Trouble smelling.
    • Hives.

    Allergic rhinitis can last several weeks, longer than a cold or the flu. It does not cause fever. The nasal discharge from hay fever is thin, watery, and clear. Nasal discharge from a cold or the flu tends to be thicker. Itching is common with hay fever but not with a cold or the flu. Sneezing occurs more with hay fever. You may even have severe sneeze attacks.

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    Allergic Rhinitis Is A Common And Debilitating Disease

    • Allergic rhinitis affects around 18% of people in Australia and New Zealand.
    • Allergic rhinitis predisposes people to more frequent sinus infections.
    • People with allergic rhinitis are often tired due to poor sleep quality.
    • Moderate or severe allergic rhinitis can affect general health, impair learning, increase time off work, and reduce productivity.
    • Around 80% of people with asthma have allergic rhinitis, which can make asthma difficult to control.

    Living With Allergic Rhinitis

    Living with the symptoms of allergic rhinitis can affect your daily life. Nasal symptoms can be worse when lying down. This can disturb your ability to sleep well. Fatigue and headaches can affect your ability to function at school and work. There are many medicines and treatments that can help you manage your symptoms. Talk to your doctor as soon as you feel that your symptoms are getting worse or are not easy to control. He or she can help you come up with the right plan to control them so they dont affect your ability to live your normal life.

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    Do Allergies Cause Cold Symptoms

    Allergies can cause symptoms that are very similar to a cold or flu, such as a runny nose, sore throat, or sneezing. However, allergies do not cause a fever. Because each allergy has a different underlying cause, it is essential that a person receives the right diagnosis, so that they can get the best treatment.

    What Is A Skin Prick Test

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    This common test is painless and accurate, though it may be a little uncomfortable. Your provider places a small sample of different allergens on your skin and scratches or pricks the skin with a needle. Scratching the skin allows the allergen to get under the surface.

    If youre allergic to the allergen, the area will become red, itchy and irritated in 15 to 30 minutes. You may develop raised, hive-like welts called wheals that show an allergic reaction. A skin prick test is a safe, effective way to determine which allergens are causing your symptoms.

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    Why Do Certain Foods Trigger Allergic Reaction

    Allergic reactions to certain foods occur when your immune system reacts to the protein found in that specific food item. Your immune system considers it as a pathogen and tries to attack it. Naturally, your body reacts to the attack, which leads to the development of skin rashes. In some cases, allergic reactions can get severe and even turn into a life threat .

    You may develop a rash shortly after eating a food that you are allergic to. You may get it on your mouth, face and neck. But in some cases, you may develop allergic rashes just from touching the food item. The symptoms of food allergy rashes are mostly the same for both adults and children. Only in a few rare cases, symptoms might be different.

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