Hay Fever Season

For most people, hay fever season starts in the early spring and lasts into fall, making for a long miserable summer. For all sufferers of hay fever we all know when the plants start to flower and the trees come alive so do the horrific symptoms that accompany this terrible affliction.

There are two types of hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis, year-long hay fever called perennial allergic rhinitis and seasonal known as seasonal allergic rhinitis. Just as the name prevails, seasonal allergy sufferers only have to deal with symptoms on a limited basis. Those who suffer from perennial allergy will have a constant allergic reaction.

Both are annoyances that cause us to have:

• Fatigue
• Sneezing non-stop
• Plugged Up Nose
• Eyes that are Red, Itchy and Watery
• Dry Itchy Throat and Tongue
• Itchy Palate
• Itchy and Runny Nose
• Constant Hacking Cough
• Post-Nasal Drip
• Itchy Ears
• Hives
• Rashes

It’s safe to say that all of the above are symptoms none of us want to face but for many of us it is a fact of life. That can all be something of the past once we understand where hay fever comes from, when peak seasons for have fever are and ways to avoid it.

What is Hay Fever?

Hay fever is our body’s reaction to pollens that come into our system by breathing them in. The body’s immune system sees these pollens or allergens as a threat and it produces antibodies in response to these invaders, these antibodies are not produced in non-allergic individuals. Hay fever, among other allergies such as food allergies and asthma, is considered to be inherited.

Allergic rhinitis derives from the meaning “irritation of the nose” is an inflammation of the nasal airways. It affects nearly 30% of all Americans and up to 40% of all children in the United States alone. Typically hay fever season, in most areas, runs from April all the way until the first freeze.

More Details about Hay Fever Season

Hay fever season begins in the spring and can last right up into the first frost of the season, while others can suffer from hay fever all year long. There are two main perpetrators that increase our hay fever symptoms;

1. Pollen producing plants
• Trees that begin to pollinate in the spring.
• Grass pollinates in the late spring until the summer.
• Weeds produce pollen from late summer and until the first frost.
2. Molds
• Mold produces spores all year long. While many spores die out when a hard freeze occurs many can lie dormant until the freeze thaws.

For those individuals who have yearly symptoms their culprits can include:

1. Dust mite debris
• These allergies are caused from the fecal waste, the cast skin and the decaying body parts of the dead mites.
2. Cockroach debris
• Allergies of cockroach debris include the cast skin, eggs, saliva, waste product, secretions and parts from the dead cockroach.
3. Pet protein
• These allergies are caused from the protein found in the dander, saliva, and urine of dogs and cats.

There seems to be no end in sight for the sufferer of allergies, just as one of the pollen producing plants stops pollinating, another kind of plant begins. Although many of us are typically allergic to one or the other and when you have symptoms will greatly depend on your personal allergies.

The person who is allergic to tree pollen is going to suffer in the spring when the trees are in full bloom. Those with grass allergies will typically suffer the most during the mid-summer months when the grass is growing at its peak and the hum of lawnmowers fill the air. For those with allergies to weeds and shrubs are relatively safe until late summer.

Understanding Hay Fever Symptoms

We are all more than familiar with hay fever season. When our allergies flare up it is equivalent to spending most of our day sneezing until we are sure our head is going to explode. You may spend the bulk of your day with an itchy nose, watery eyes and coughing until your lungs ache.

That stuffed up feeling you get is caused when your Eustachian tubes start to close up, as your sinuses swell in direct reaction to the allergens you are inhaling. This can also cause your sinuses to constantly drip mucus down your throat. The mucus is likely to inflame your throat, resulting in a sore throat even though it is not cold and flu season. Many people also have to cope with excessive fatigue and frequent headaches. These are the main nuisances to us feeling completely wiped out when our allergies flare up.

Preventative Measures

While you certainly can't stop the plants of the world producing pollen during hay fever season, there are several steps you can take to avoid having these allergic reactions.

• Pollen is at its peak between 5-10 AM and 4-7 PM so do yard work or other outside chores from mid-morning to early evening when pollen levels are low.
• For the times when you have to be outside cover as much of your body as possible; hats, gloves, long-sleeved shirts, pants and glasses.
• Pinpoint which plants you are most allergic to and don't use those for landscape or gardening purposes.
• Take a shower and wash your clothes after being outside.
• Clean the filters in your air conditioning system frequently and install HEPA filters.
• Keep up to date with pollen counts in your area and limit your outside time to correlate with lower level pollen counts. You can do this by visiting pollen.com or weather.com

Hay fever season comes every year, some years are worse than others, as pollen counts rarely stay the same year after year. If you take the necessary steps towards hay fever prevention, use the right medications and do your best to avoid the allergens, you should be able to limit or even eliminate your symptoms. Never allow hay fever season to stop you from being out in the great outdoors or doing what you love to do, take back your life and live allergy and symptom free.

Go to the HOME PAGE from hay fever season.

Back to Top