Seasonal Allergies

Overview

Seasonal allergies, commonly called hay fever, are allergies that affect people during weather conditions like spring and fall when certain trees and grasses pollinate. Some people suffer more in the springtime when the pollen levels start increasing, while some suffer more in late summer and early fall when ragweed levels increase.

Types

There are so many different types of grasses, trees and plants that cause allergies. It can be hard to narrow down a specific allergy. Pollen and ragweed are two of the most common causes of season allergies, but any grasses, weeds and trees can also cause these allergies.

A person can be allergic to just pollen or some other allergen like ragweed, or he can be allergic to more than one or several.

Symptoms

Sometimes the symptoms of seasonal allergies are hard to distinguish from symptoms of cold allergies. Some people might even think that they have cold allergies, when in fact they have the other. People who get colds frequently in the spring or fall often are suffering from seasonal allergies and not cold allergies.

A runny nose, stuffy nose, watery and itchy eyes, coughing, sneezing, itchy throat, difficulty sleeping and even an inability to taste or smell as normal are symptoms of seasonal allergies.

Causes/Risk Factors

With seasonal allergies, the body's immune system recognizes the inhaled substance as something dangerous, like a virus or other bacteria, and tries to flush it out by releasing immunoglobulin antibodies, which in turn releases histamine and other chemicals. These chemicals cause coughing, sneezing, nose running and eye watering.

A person with other allergies and a family history of allergies are at more risk for seasonal allergies. Most people with seasonal allergies show the symptoms before they reach 20 years of age.

Of those who do have seasonal allergies, some parts of the country and locations tend to cause more symptoms than others, depending on their allergy and the kinds of grasses, trees and plants common in that area.

Tests/Diagnosis

After ruling out other causes for the symptoms, a doctor can perform a skin test to check for seasonal allergies. This involves a series of small needles, each carrying a tiny bit of an allergen, with each needle carrying a different one. Then the skin is pricked with each needle and checked for a reaction to determine exactly which substance causes a reaction. The blood can also be tested for eosinophils, the type of white blood cells that react to allergens in those with seasonal allergies. A nasal examination allows direct visual inspection of the lining of the nasal passages and can occasionally differentiate seasonal allergies from other types of allergies. In people with seasonal allergies, the lining of the nasal passages appears very swollen and pale, sometimes to the degree that it appears bluish in color.

Treatment

Minimizing exposure to allergens is the best course of treatment, like staying in a climate-controlled environment when allergens are high and avoiding outdoor visits between 5 am and 10 am is also effective. Air-conditioned surroundings can also help filter out many airborne allergens. Seasonal allergies are often treated with over-the-counter and prescription antihistamines, decongestants and nasal corticosteroids.