How Seasonal Allergies Affect You…In Spring!

Sound familiar?…Watery eyes, sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes and nose, children with dark circles under their eyes, using the palm of their hand to push the nose up in an attempt to relieve itching (the "allergic salute")?

As many as 50 million people in the United States suffer from allergic disease and every spring, more than 35 million Americans suffer the unwanted return of allergy symptoms due to the trees and grasses pollinating again. Did you know that allergic diseases are the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in the United States?

But it’s still cold season. How can you tell the difference between a cold and allergies? While watery eyes, sneezing, runny nose and congestion are common to both, a cold can also cause feverishness, chilliness, headache and not feeling well in general. And allergic symptoms last as long as you are exposed to the allergen and beyond, while a cold should clear up within several days to a week. Generally, allergies cause itchy eyes and nose. Although seasonal allergic rhinitis is often referred to as "hay fever," allergies don’t cause fever. Colds cause fever.

Seasonal allergic rhinitis in the early spring is often triggered by the pollens of such trees as oak, western red cedar, elm, birch, ash, hickory, poplar, sycamore, maple, cypress and walnut. In the late spring and early summer, pollinating grasses-including timothy, bermuda, orchard, sweet vernal, red top and some blue grasses-often trigger symptoms.

Pollen and mold counts measure the amount of airborne allergens present in the air. The National Allergy Bureau (NABT) is the nation's only pollen and mold counting network certified by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI). As a free service to the public, the NAB compiles pollen and mold counts from certified stations across the nation and reports them to the media three times each week. Northern Colorado Allergy and Asthma Clinic posts them on our homepage for you.

Appropriate treatment-not escape-is the best method for coping with your allergies. We can help live your life to its fullest. According to the AAAAI, there are some Dos and Don'ts that you may want to follow during the pollen and mold seasons to lessen your exposure to the pollens or molds that trigger your allergy symptoms.

DO keep windows closed at night to prevent pollens or molds from drifting into your home. Instead, if needed, use air conditioning, which cleans, cools, and dries the air.

DO minimize early morning activity when pollen is usually emitted-between 5-10 a.m.

DO keep your car windows closed when traveling.

DO try to stay indoors when the pollen count or humidity is reported to be high, and on windy days when dust and pollen are blown about.

DO take a vacation during the height of the pollen season to a more pollen-free area, such as the beach or sea.

DO take medications prescribed by your allergist/immunologist regularly, in the recommended dosage.

DON'T take more medication than recommended in an attempt to lessen your symptoms.

DON'T mow lawns or be around freshly cut grass; mowing stirs up pollens and molds.

DON'T hang sheets or clothing out to dry. Pollens and molds may collect in them.

DON'T grow too many, or overwater, indoor plants if you are allergic to mold. Wet soil encourages mold growth.

Most importantly…

DO call us at Northern Colorado Allergy and Asthma Clinic for help and advice!