Autumn, with its cooler air and colorful leaves heralds the change of seasons − crisp days to come. Yet it also brings with it for many sneezing, itchy eyes, and stuffy nose. These symptoms are especially associated with those seasonal fall allergies, making the change of seasons a lot less enjoyable.
Knowing the sensitivities that lead to autumn allergies can also help lessen your agonizing experience.
What Causes Fall Seasonal Allergies?
Fall seasonal allergies include many outdoor allergens that are more prevalent later in summer and fall. Often, the major offender is ragweed pollen. While a singular plant of ragweed can emit hundreds of billions of pollen grains into the air.
Other common triggers include:
- Mold spores from wet leaves and dirt
- Grass and weed pollen
- Dust and other indoor allergens as people stay inside more
And pollen levels can be weather dependent. Pollen is scattered as these gusty winds blow in warmer days, while rain can still moisten the air and lessen airborne pollen for a short period of time.
Common Symptoms of Fall Allergies
Allergy symptoms can be mild to annoying. They can happen shortly after exposure to an allergen and last for several weeks.
Common signs include:
- Frequent sneezing
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Itchy nose or throat
- Watery, red, or itchy eyes
- Postnasal drip
- Coughing
- Sinus pressure or congestion
Allergies do not typically cause a fever like a cold does. Symptoms can also come back again some time in every year.
How to Reduce Your Exposure?
You do not stay indoors all fall to flee allergy symptoms. You can limit your exposure to pollen and mold with a few simple habits.
They may need to keep windows shut when pollen masses. Use air conditioning when possible. When you come back indoors, take off your outside clothes and shower to get rid of any pollen that might be on your skin or hair.
It can also help to:
- Wear sunglasses outdoors
- Avoid handling wet leaves
- Be in and out quickly on windy days
- Wash bedding regularly
- Vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filtration
For many with fall seasonal allergies, these very steps can make a huge difference.
Treatment Options for Fall Allergies
If avoiding allergens doesn’t do it, treatment with medication may help control symptoms. Over-the-counter antihistamines will help the sneezing, scratching, and runny nose symptoms. Saline nasal rinses may also help to remove allergens from the nasal passages.
For chronic or severe symptoms speak with a medical professional. They may prescribe medications or allergy tests. For example, allergy shots or other types of immunotherapy can offer longer-term relief in certain situations.
When Should You See a Doctor?
Sneezing itself is often not too much of a big deal. But ongoing symptoms can disrupt sleeping, working, school, and everyday functioning.
For ongoing, particularly serious symptoms, or those that don’t improve with common medications for seasonal allergies, visit your physician. A good diagnosis will give you the triggers and why it is to be treated this way or that.
Fall seasonal allergies don’t have to spoil the season with a few precautions and treatment.
