Pollen Season

For those with allergies, pollen season is the fifth and most miserable season of every year. Most of us know that in all reality there are only four seasons in each year. When you suffer from a nasal allergy problem, that extra season that starts in April and lasts well into the first freeze is the only season worth being prepared for. It often means periods of sneezing, watery eyes and runny noses that can last for days, weeks or months.

Depending on the allergies you have it is possible that your particular allergies might only last for a few weeks or it could last the entire allergy season. This is because the pollen season can be broken into three separate seasons. Although the symptoms are similar, they are caused by three completely unique pollens that come from three totally different species of plant.

In reality seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever) differs from one person to the next. Even though the symptoms are the same, there are those who suffer more in the spring when the trees are in bloom. Others suffer in the summer months due to grass pollen. And there are those who suffer the most in the fall when the weeds are producing pollen.

While spring is the most active time of the year for pollen release, weather also greatly affects pollination. Even the season before can affect the pollination process, such as a hard winter can stifle many of the trees pollination. While dry windy days are best for pollinating, wet cool days are not. Weather plays a vital role in the pollen season.

Spring Means Tree Pollen Time

While everyone knows the arrival of spring heralds the beginning of pollen season, not everyone knows when it starts. This is the time of year that most trees break out in beautiful blossoms and while they look magnificent, they are loaded with pollen. While there are over 50,000 different types of trees on our planet, less than 100 of them are actually responsible for causing allergies. The male tree is the culprit behind producing all that pollen.

Among the most common trees that cause tree pollen allergies in the US are:

Catalpa Hickory Pecan Walnut Elm olive Sycamore

There are a few trees that have been found to cause symptoms from both the male and female trees such as the alder, beech, birch and the mighty oak. Trees from both the cedar and juniper families also demonstrate similar properties.

Summer Means Grass Pollen Season

Just like tree pollen season, you will find that a grass pollen season can vary by region. It is very much a seasonal allergy and occurs for the most part during the late spring and summer months. Also, you will find that the levels of grass pollen in the air are directly affected by temperature, how much rain has fallen and the time of day.

There are over 1,200 types of grass on the North American continent, but only a relatively small portion of them actually cause seasonal allergies. Among these the most common ones that are responsible for grass pollen allergies are:

Bermuda Grass Kentucky Bluegrass Sweet Vernal Grass Johnson grass Orchard grass Timothy Grass Bahia grass Velvet grass Reed Canary grass

Fall into Weed Pollen Season

As summer begins to wane and lead into fall, weed pollen season begins to bloom. This is the time of year that most weeds are in full bloom and prepare to spread their pollen. Of all the pollen seasons, those caused by weed pollens are considered to be the worst. Some weeds bloom from spring through late fall while others start in late summer. Each area has its own special weeds, but here are some of the most common ones that cause weed pollen allergies:

Ragweed Pigweed Sagebrush Wormwood Cocklebur Baccharis Firebush Marsh Goldenrod Dock Russian thistle Mugwort Wingscale Lambs Quarter Dog Fennel

Take Control during Pollen Season

Taking a preemptive roll in stopping the symptoms before they start is an effective way to deal with pollen allergies. Here are a few tips listed below to help you in the fight to be symptom free:

• Check daily on websites such as weather.com or pollen.com to get an accurate count of pollen levels in your area. When you find that pollen levels are high in your area take a few necessary steps to properly protect yourself.
• Close all your windows and doors when pollen counts are higher, normally between the hours of 5-10 am and between 4-7 pm.
• Keep your time outside to a bare minimum during high pollen counts.
• Take a shower and wash your close as soon as you come in from outdoors.
• Do not hang clothes outside.
• Flush your sinuses regularly.
• Install an air filter in your home with a HEPA filter.

Before you make the decision to use any over the counter medications, you should consult with your family doctor. He may send you to an allergist for testing to see exactly what is causing your symptoms. Once your allergies have been identified, your doctor may recommend a variety of treatments including allergy shots, prescription medications or simple OTC antihistamines.

If you have been using homeopathic remedies to treat your pollen allergies, you should make sure that you tell your doctor. There is a distinct possibility that these remedies can interact with many of the different medications your doctor might prescribe.

While spring allergies are certainly not pleasant, by taking the proper precautions, you can reduce their symptoms to the point where they do not interfere with your daily life.

The most important thing to remember is that prevention is much easier than trying to cope with the symptoms after they have started.

Go to the pollen allergy HOME PAGE from pollen season.

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