It’s fall, and the blooms of summer have faded. So how come you’re still sneezing? Allergies? Fall allergy triggers are different, but they can cause just as many symptoms as in spring and summer.
Approximately 10 to 20 percent of the public is allergic to ragweed, the most common culprit in fall seasonal allergies. Thanks to global warming, studies are finding that ragweed season is lasting as much as 15 days longer in some regions of the country. Even if it doesn’t grow where you live, ragweed pollen can travel for hundreds of miles on the wind. For some people who are allergic to ragweed, certain fruits and vegetables, including bananas, melon, and zucchini, can also cause symptoms.
Rain, which washes pollen out of the air and so is generally welcomed by ragweed allergy sufferers, leads to the proliferation of mold, another seasonal allergy trigger.
Get tested. Colds and hay fever cause similar symptoms. The big difference, according to health experts, is a matter of duration. As a rule of thumb, if symptoms persist for several weeks, it’s likely an allergy. Your doctor can give you a skin test to confirm that you have allergies and find out which allergens you need to avoid.
Tips to Manage Symptoms
Stay indoors with the doors and windows closed when pollen is at its peak (usually in the late morning or midday). Check pollen counts in your area. Your local weather report will usually include them.
Use a face mask when you are outside, especially between 5 and 10 a.m. and on windy days.
Keep your windows closed and turn on the air conditioner.
Before you turn on your heat for the first time, clean your heating vents and change the filter. Bits of mold and other allergens get trapped in the vents over the summer and will fill the air as soon as the furnace is fired up.
Dry your clothes inside in the dryer instead of hanging clothes outside.
Have decaying leaves removed from your yard and gutters.
If you rake leaves in the fall, wear a face mask.
Use a HEPA filter in your heating system to remove pollen, mold, and other particles from the air.
Treat Symptoms
Treat symptoms with medications. Nasal symptoms are typically treated with an over-the-counter non-drowsy oral antihistamine or a steroid nasal spray such as Nasonex or Nasacort.
At Your Canada Drug Store, we have low priced antihistamines and decongestants in both over-the-counter forms, as well as prescription products for those of you who suffer from more serious allergies. Contact us today to discuss with our pharmacists how you can handle fall allergies .