Monthly Archives: September 2022

Why Fall Make Allergies Worse

Transitioning from summer to fall is the time when people go back to school, but for those who suffer from allergies, the seasonal switch could mean an unwelcome change in the symptoms. For people who feel the fall pollen impacts like mold and ragweed, you are not alone in this. Allergic rhinitis symptoms, including runny nose and congestion, can affect millions of people in the USA every year.

Some states make these effects more compounded because of weather patterns that switch between dry and wet periods, which trigger the allergens released into the air.

You can ask your allergy doctor about fall allergy treatments, but you need to know why allergies are worse during the fall. Read on to learn more.

Ragweed

In the fall, ragweed surges so it spews pollen into the air and it causes classic nasal allergy symptoms such as sneezing, itchy eyes, and scratchy throat. While you cannot completely avoid ragweed pollen, you can do steps to reduce exposure. You need to keep your windows and doors closed. Use refrigerated air conditioning, if possible, but not an evaporative cooler. The best thing to do is to wear a NIOSH-95 face mask so you will not inhale pollen when going outside. Your respiratory system will thank you for this.

Mold

Mold is another allergy trigger in the fall. Normally, fall weather comes with cooler weather and rain. Once the fall foliage starts to decay, it will attract mold growth. Breathing mold aggravates asthma, which causes wheezing, heavy breathing, and other upper respiratory symptoms in mold allergies. If you want to make the most out of the cooler weather and enjoy the outdoors more, you might have to wear a mask while being out in the woods.

Heat

You might want to bask in the summer days that extend in autumn, but the warm air can extend the pollen season and trigger allergy symptoms in the fall. You must not give up the last days of summer in order to avoid a runny nose. If you want to keep symptoms controlled, avoid the outdoors when pollen count normally peaks. You can enjoy the late summer sun at dusk. You can also try avoiding chores like raking leaves and mowing grass, both of which can stir up mold spores and pollen.

Dust Mites

Everyone can agree that fall weather is the most comfortable because days are a little cooler and you might also have to turn on the heat to feel cozy. This could be the first time in a few months that you turn on the heating. This blows a lot of dust mites inside your home, which trigger wheezes, sneezes, and runny noses. That is why you should change the filter before running the heating system.

Pets

You might have realized that pet dander triggers allergy symptoms such as sneezing and a runny nose. However, did you realize that your pet can worsen fall allergies? Cats and dogs that play outside can collect ragweed pollen inside their fur and bring it inside your home. After you go inside, the pollen can disperse into the air easily and cause misery for those who suffer from fall allergies. If you want to avoid this, make sure to wipe your pet using a damp towel before you allow it back indoors after being outside.

Heat

The warm air that could extend to pollen season and trigger symptoms of fall allergies. You would want to stay indoors in those last days of summer to avoid the symptoms. Stay indoors in the morning because it is when pollen count normally peaks.

You can visit allergist Germantown MD if you have fall allergies.

Signs You are Allergic to Your Pet

Pet allergy is your body’s reaction to proteins that are found in the skin cells of animals, urine, or saliva. The common signs of a pet allergy are sneezing hay fever and runny nose. Some people can experience symptoms of asthma, like breathing difficulty and wheezing.

According to an allergy clinic, pet allergy is activated by being exposed to dead skin flakes that the pet sheds. Any furry animal can become a pet allergy source, but pet allergies are normally linked to cats and dogs.

In case you are allergic to pets, the most effective strategy is to stay away from any animal exposure. Other treatments of medications might be important in relieving symptoms and managing asthma.

Causes

Allergies to animals are common, especially in individuals who have asthma or additional allergies. The truth is, that a significant percentage of people are allergic to pets, and cat allergies occur twice as often.

In case you suffer from a pet allergy, which does not always mean that you are allergic to the dog or cat. Aggravation or allergic reactions to asthma symptoms results from substance exposure that is found in pets, which includes saliva, urine, flaked skin, and dander. Aside from that, furry pets can become virtual dust mops, while bringing in allergens such as mold spores, dust, and pollen coming from outside. Pet hair is not an allergen, but it carries substances that cause allergic reactions.

Symptoms

Dog, cat and other allergens could land on the membranes, which line the eyes and nose. You can breathe pet allergens in your airways. Symptoms of an animal allergy include:

  • Stuffy nose
  • Itching and swelling of eyes and nose
  • Sneezing
  • Postnasal drip
  • Runny nose
  • Eye redness
  • Hives
  • Coughing
  • Sleep disruption, itchiness, fatigue, or irritability in the roof of the mouth and throat

You can get itchy eyes after petting an animal and touch your eyes after.  A pet scratch or lick on your skin causes redness and itchiness in the area. You could get hives. Pet allergy may trigger an asthma attack in case you have asthma as well.

Those who have pet allergens have different sensitivity levels. Some experience minor symptoms and other people have severe symptoms. In case there are low allergen levels, symptoms might not show up until after a couple of days after interacting with your pet.

Dogs and Cats

Allergens that come from cats and dogs are in the skin cells the animal is shedding, and in the saliva, sweat, and urine on their fur. Dander is mainly a problem because it is small and it remains airborne for longer periods of time with very little air circulation. It also gets easily collected in upholstered furniture and it will stick to your clothes.

Pet saliva sticks to bedding, carpets, clothing, and furniture. Dried saliva can become airborne.

Hypoallergenic dogs and cats might shed less fur compared to the shedding types, but a completely hypoallergenic breed does not exist.

When Should You See an Allergist

If you have any of the symptoms, you might not want to think that it is your pet that is causing you discomfort. Most of the time, the best treatment is to avoid any contact with dogs and cats. For a lot of animal lovers though, pets are treated like a part of the family.

Regardless if you have mild symptoms, it would be good to schedule an appointment with an allergist. Your allergies can worsen with time. Therefore, you should get treatment early to prevent any complications.

You should talk to an allergy center Manassas VA anytime so that you can get treatment early.

How Allergies Affect Your Mood

Chronic Hives

Many studies revealed that people who have allergic rhinitis suffer from sneezing, itchy eyes and nose, and nasal congestion. They can also suffer from depression and nasal fatigue.

Allergic rhinitis makes it more difficult to concentrate at school and work which affects your energy level and sleeping habits. If your life is disrupted by seasonal allergies, you need effective allergy relief that is important to your well-being. You should be aware that going to an allergist specialist doctor is one of the most considerations you need to make. You are going to be educated regarding the impact of allergies on your mood and daily life in general. Make sure to read this article until the end to learn more.

Fatigue

Studies have discovered that fatigue is common among people who experience seasonal allergies. The truth is, daytime tiredness, while it happens less often than the nasal symptoms, seems to be more common compared to itchy eyes or post-nasal drip.

There is one study that recorded fatigue in 60% of those with allergies, which is very common among people who say they feel tired because of allergy symptoms.

Increases Stress

Sneezing, itchy eyes, breathing difficulty, and congestion are not fun for anyone. This impacts your daily function and the way you sleep. That spills over into any day. All this adds up to increased stress and it gets worst when it becomes chronic.

Physical Symptoms Can Affect You Mentally

When you deal with constant congestion, itchy eyes and runny nose leads to frustration and depression. They are going to prevent you from engaging in fun activities like hiking in a state park.

Allergy symptoms can disrupt your sleep as well. This can make your fatigue worse and it negatively impacts your mental health.

Mood

Aside from fatigue, or maybe because of it, more than 1/3 of people who experience allergies in one study feel depressed. And more than half of the respondents felt miserable or terrible because of their symptoms.

Some studies have discovered that clinical depression is twice as common in those who suffer from allergies.

In other ways, looking at allergies and their connection to your mood can be like a chicken and egg question. Is it the nasal allergy symptoms, maybe it is accompanied by embarrassment over these symptoms, which is the cause of your funky mood, or is it the funky that makes allergies more obvious?

Medications

It can be possible that your allergy medication can worsen your mood. Corticosteroids that are inhaled or injected are linked to manic depressive episodes. The same was not found in topical corticosteroids.

Allergies Can Sap Your Energy

Poor sleep normally causes low energy levels. In addition, allergies can cause fatigue. They make your immune system kick in, similar to if you had a virus or cold. In case your body uses energy to fight anything, it naturally means you have less vigor. In addition, some allergy medications will list drowsiness or fatigue as a side effect, so it is best to ask your doctor or pharmacist if you think your medication should be blamed.

Cognitive Effects

A lot of people already noted that their allergies make them “slower.” Regardless if these cognitive symptoms are because of fatigue, the side effects of allergy medications, or because of some mechanism because of the allergies, research can back them up.

People who have allergies experience slow verbal reasoning, slower decision-making, and reduced psychomotor speed. So, they react slower than usual during the times when they are most affected by allergy symptoms.

You can visit an asthma doctor Germantown MD anytime.