Common Fall Allergies to be Made Aware of
There’s a common misconception among many that your allergies end once summer is over. Although that’s true for the majority of people, it’s not true for all. In fact, if you’re prone to allergies, you can expect to suffer from the side effects for months after summer has ended. This is because fall has its own set of allergens as well. Unfortunately, the irritability doesn’t end with the summer months.
Below are what you can expect this coming fall.
If you find yourself spluttering, sneezing, itchiness (dermatitis?),increase in asthma, wheezing and just generally irritable in fall, there are many things that could be triggering it. You could either:
- A) be allergic to pet dander, grass or other year-round allergens, or;
- B) you could be a fall allergy sufferer as well.
Believe it or not, ragweed is the biggest allergy trigger once summer turns to fall. Ragweed are yellow and green plants that can be found in the tropical and subtropical areas around the Americas. Its pollen is a common cause of allergies, and it can travel hundreds of miles to end up in your location. If you’re allergic to spring and summer plants, the chances of you being allergic to ragweed and other fall plants is fairly high.
In fact, a tell-tale sign of you being allergic to the pollen in ragweed is your reaction to common, every-day fruit and vegetables. Do you suffer from allergy symptoms when you eat melon, zucchini or bananas? Even a tingle in the throat or an itchy mouth can be an easy way of knowing if you’ll fall victim to the irritability of fall allergens.
What else can cause an allergic reaction in fall?
When fall hits, you will begin to notice the beautiful green leaves on trees turning brown and eventually falling to the ground. The piles of leaves encompassing your backyard then become breeding grounds for mold. This can cause an allergic reaction.
Dust mites, although common year-round, are particularly bothersome in fall as well. This is because many households require the use of heating units. These have generally had minimal use over summer.
How do I know I’m suffering from fall allergies?
The signs of fall allergies are similar to other allergies. As previously stated, if you’re particularly prone to allergies, you won’t notice too much of a difference.
You can suffer from:
- A runny nose
- Irritable, itchy and watery eyes
- An itchy nose
- An itchy throat and/or mouth
- Sneezing fits
- Coughing fits
Common and fall allergies are fairly easy to treat, however some medications (both over-the-counter and prescribed by your doctor) are not recommended for long-term use. Your body can become immune to them fairly quickly, causing the symptoms to return, or your symptoms can become far more severe than before.
Summer and the fall can be fairly miserable months for allergy sufferers, and unfortunately some people are more prone to symptoms than others.
There are few ways to reduce the risk of suffering symptoms, including:
- Staying indoors as much as possible
- Covering your skin when you’re outside – reducing the risk of irritable lumps and bumps
- Wearing a mask in high-risk areas
- Carrying antihistamines and nasal sprays with you when entering high risk areas
This is little relief for severe allergy sufferers, but there’s hope. Remember, fall happens but once a year, and only for three months. Hang in there!