Ragweed Allergy SymptomsThe ragweed is part of the sunflower family, yet unlike the sunflower it does not have a large flower. The ragweed is an annual, perennial, shrub, and subshrub that grow in a clump to a height of about 75-90 cm. They mostly enjoy the atmosphere of dry and sunny days and love to grow in grassy plains, sandy soils, river banks, roadsides, and disturbed soils. The pollen of the ragweed plant is considered to be highly allergenic and is a major cause of your ragweed allergy symptoms. Each plant is capable of producing in the neighborhood of one billion pollen grains in a single season. This makes trying to control the flow of the pollen practically impossible. Since this plant will grow almost anywhere, anyone with a ragweed allergy is going to have a very difficult time avoiding the pollen. There are 41 species of ragweed; the most common include:
So How Does My Ragweed Allergy Affect Me?In essence, the ragweed allergy symptoms you are likely to experience are different from allergies of other pollinating plants. Just as with any other allergy, once you inhale the pollen your body's immune system will see the allergens as a foreign invader and attempt to remove them. If you actually make the mistake of touching the plant, the symptoms are likely to occur much more quickly. Most people who have pollen allergies are also allergic to ragweed. Those who have an allergy to ragweed pollen are likely to exhibit similar symptoms when they eat fruits such as bananas and cantaloupe, drinking chamomile tea or eating sunflower seeds. Eating honey that contains pollen from the Compositae family of plants may cause some very severe symptoms. Recognizing Ragweed SymptomsWhile most ragweed allergy symptoms are well known, there may be a few that are less common. Here is a list of the most common symptoms and a few you might not have known were associated with ragweed:
So How Do I Cope with My Ragweed Allergy Symptoms?There are many steps you take that can help you to cope with your ragweed allergy symptoms. Start by taking a close look at your home; it is your first line of defense. When the pollen count is at its highest avoid going outside and keep both your doors and windows closed. Add air purifiers to your home, one in each bedroom to start and then add extras to the common room. When you have to go outside, you should wear a mask and take a shower every time you come in. Take your clothes and put them straight into the washing machine each day during the peak season. If you are still suffering from ragweed allergy symptoms, you will also find that your family doctor can provide you with antihistamines that will help to alleviate them. There are a number of over the counter products that have also been proven to work quite well. When you combine all of these measures together, you will be able to enjoy a relatively symptom free summer. Avoiding the symptoms of ragweed is your best defense for living a happier, healthier lifestyle. There are several steps you can take to reduce or eliminate ragweed allergy symptoms to improve your quality of life.
If you have already tried taking medication for your allergies without success talk to your doctor about immunotherapy, which reduces the allergic response to specific allergen. This type of therapy may take several months or even years to take effect but once they do you could actually see some major improvements. Wouldn’t it be nice to not even have to think about how bad the next ragweed season is going to be or to worry about ragweed allergy symptoms again? Go to the ragweed HOME PAGE from ragweed allergy symptoms. Related Topics Fall Allergies: See pictures of ragweed developing. |
