Spring flowers, grass and leaves sprouting inspire feelings of renewal — and, for some, itchy, watery eyes and sneezing attacks.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 25.7 percent of adults have seasonal allergies.
“In people with a seasonal allergy, the pollen from sprouting grass and trees as well as mold spores trigger an immune response that can result in symptoms like fatigue, headache, sneezing, a runny or stuffed up nose, and watery, itchy eyes,” said James Moss, MD, an allergy and immunology specialist with Endeavor Health. “It might feel a lot like you’re coming down with a cold.”
Allergy symptoms often last longer than a typical cold would. The length of time allergy symptoms last depends on what you’re allergic to and where you live. Generally, spring and fall are the worst seasons for people with seasonal allergies.
Seasonal allergies are common and come with a number of misconceptions.
Myth #1: Hay fever means you’re allergic to hay and grass.
Hay fever is actually a misnomer, as it has nothing to do with hay, or having a fever. Instead, it is simply a common way to refer to seasonal allergies, whether in the spring or fall.
Myth #2: If you don’t have seasonal allergies as a kid, you’ll never develop them.
Adult-onset allergies can happen, and they often take people by surprise.
One reason: Our immune system changes as we age. Over the years, it is possible to develop an allergy to chemicals (such as in makeup or cologne) or environmental allergens. Perhaps you weren’t exposed to a particular allergen as a child but moved to an area where you are now exposed to it.
Genes may also play a part in adult-onset allergies. If your family members have a history of an allergy, that susceptibility could combine with your personal environmental or chemical exposures to trigger an allergy in adulthood.
Myth #3: If you don’t want to take allergy medication, you just have to put up with symptoms
The best way to avoid allergic reactions is to avoid contact with the allergen! Of course, with seasonal allergies, that’s not always possible.
Try these non-medication techniques:
- Stay indoors when pollen counts are at their peak and when it’s windy
- Don’t use window fans that can pull pollen and mold into your house
- Wear glasses or sunglasses while outdoors to lessen the amount of pollen that gets into your eyes
- Wear a pollen mask while working in the yard — mowing the lawn, raking leaves or gardening
- Don’t hang laundry outside to dry; pollen may cling to the fabric
- Wash your clothes and take a shower (wash your hair too) after spending time outside, to rinse off pollen
Myth #4: You should only take allergy medication if symptoms are uncomfortable.
For patients who use intranasal corticosteroids, such as Flonase, Nasonex, Rhinocort, it is best to start a few weeks prior to the start of your allergy season. If you know you get tree pollen symptoms, you should start your nose spray now.
Anti-inflammatory medications will prevent the inflammation and swelling that allergies cause and help minimize symptoms. We don’t want to play catch-up with allergies. Patients who wait might have to use higher dosages or add medications to control their symptoms later on.
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