You’d think that with spring and even summer gone, seasonal allergies would take a break. Unfortunately, fall is yet another prime season for allergic rhinitis, or hay fever flare-ups. But with a little prep and precautions, you can plan how to stop allergies immediately.
How to know if you have a seasonal fall allergy
Some people can instantly recognize when hay fever strikes, having suffered through seasonal allergies since childhood. Others develop allergic rhinitis suddenly after a lifetime of strolling through gardens unbothered. If you show any of the following symptoms of seasonal allergies, you are likely dealing with hay fever.
Most common symptoms of seasonal allergies, or hay fever, in the fall
- Repeated and frequent sneezing
- Red, watery, or swollen eyes
- Nose either running too much, or stuffy and congested
- Itching inside and outside of the nose, ears, eyes, and mouth
- Headaches
- Hives or rashes on skin
- Feeling tired or lacking energy
3 big causes of fall allergies
Like hay fever in the spring, allergic rhinitis in the autumn is brought on primarily by pollen, a microscopic dust produced by male flowers to fertilize female flowers. Other big reasons are mold and dust mites.
- Ragweed pollen
Experts estimate that ragweed pollen triggers an allergic reaction in 1 out of 6 people. Ragweed is a common plant that grows abundantly all over the US. Ragweed flowers start blooming from July onwards, and pollen production goes into overdrive over the following 6 to 10 weeks. By the time the plant dies, usually in the first frost of winter depending on geographical area, it may have produced up to a billion grains of fine, powdery pollen.
- Mold spores
Mold can grow both indoors and outdoors. As the weather cools and you turn up the indoor heating, any damp, dark spaces in kitchens, bathrooms, or basements become an ideal breeding ground for mold spores. Outdoors, mold can grow on wet, rotting wood and under the piles of leaves you raked neatly into a corner to compost.
Like pollen, mold spores can travel great distances on the lightest of breezes. Unlike pollen, mold spores do not die from cold weather. The spores simply go to sleep, waking up revived and refreshed when the weather turns warmer.
- Dust mites
Dust mites are a year-round allergen, but their population snowballs during the cooler months. Temperatures lower than 70°F are enough to kill them, but here’s the thing: these microscopic bugs live mainly indoors. When the weather outside grows chilly and dry, cranking up the heating and humidifiers in your home creates the perfect environment for dust mites to thrive.
And thrive they do! A dust mite’s lifespan is 3 months at most, but in that time it lays 50-80 eggs. At this rate, the population of dust mites in your mattresses, sofas, pillows, and plush toys can grow into the millions within days.
How to protect yourself from seasonal fall allergies
The effects of allergic rhinitis vary in intensity from person to person. Some people get by with a few early-morning sneezes, others are fine after swallowing a spoonful of decongestant, and there are yet others who can’t even get out of bed during a particularly strong bout of hay fever.
Seasonal allergies are not something that can be ‘cured’. They can only be managed or prevented. It does take some effort, but with caution and care you can keep yourself safe from an attack of allergic rhinitis.
- Check your area’s pollen count before going out. If it’s too high, consider staying indoors.
- Wear a mask outdoors. Surgical masks are inexpensive and easily available. Keep a bag or small trashcan by the door to throw used masks away before stepping inside your house.
- Remove outdoor shoes and overclothing such as jackets and coats before entering your home. If theft is not an issue, keep shoe and coat racks outside your door.
- Don’t wait until bedtime to shower. By then, any pollen dust on you will get scattered all over the place. When you’re done for the day, hit the shower as soon as you reach home.
- Wash sheets and bedding more frequently. Hypoallergenic pillows and sheets may work as a minor barrier between you and dust mites or mold spores.
- Keep windows closed as much as possible.
- Keep your antihistamines, nasal sprays, eye drops, etc. nearby at all times. Always take medicine as directed.
- Check for mold in the house. Pay close attention to bathroom walls, around windows, behind kitchen cabinets, and in the laundry area. Wear a mask when removing mold.
- Invest in an air purifier and High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters to keep air inside the home clean.
If you find yourself experiencing the symptoms of hay fever, set up an appointment with your doctor to discuss preventative medication or allergy shots that may desensitize your immune system to allergens.