Ragweed Allergy

Ragweed allergy is one of the most common types of allergies. For those who have allergies, ragweed causes the most symptoms because its pollen is the hardest allergen to avoid. It is caused by a plant that produces millions to billions grains of pollen. The protein in this pollen is a very potent allergen. The design of the pollen is to keep it airborne for the longest period of time.

In the picture above, the flowers are producing pollen at the very top of the ragweed plant. The flowers are about 1/8 inch in size (extremely small). They grow in large numbers to produce the spikes that is seen at the top of the plant.

Ragweed Season

Pollen season begins in the spring with trees producing the first pollen. Grass pollen production follows in the summer. Weeds pollinate towards the end of summer and into fall.

Ragweed season generally begins around the end of August. Geographically, the farther north you travel, the later the ragweed season begins. Once the season has started, it will last until frost kills the annual plant. Ragweed season is normally thought of as being between mid-August through October.

The Allergen

Ragweed pollen is considered by many to be the most potent and widespread allergen of all pollen. It only takes a little of this pollen to trigger unpleasant allergy symptoms. One single ragweed plant is capable of producing a billion pollen grains during one season.

Wind Pollinated
The pollen from ragweed is very light weight. The design makes it capable of catching the smallest of wind currents. Ragweed pollen has been known to be carried away for hundreds of miles. Most pollen, however, falls within a few miles from where it started.

The pictures above show the top of the ragweed plant. The tiny male flowers are producing the pollen that causes ragweed allergy.

Pollen Release
The climate affects the pollen production and release. Cool, moist, and humid conditions will slow the production and release of pollen. On the other hand, pollen release will increase during hot, dry, and windy days.

The release of pollen usually occurs more often in the late mornings and early afternoons. The peak hours for pollen release are between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Between these hours is the best time for hay fever sufferers to avoid the outdoors.

Humidity also plays a role in pollen production and release. As the relative humidity rises to 70 percent and higher, pollen tends to stick together and is not released. It needs to be very dry in order to take advantage of the air currents. Rain and cool temperatures also inhibit the release of pollen.

The Cause of Hay Fever

The ragweed plant is the cause of hay fever. There are many different species of ragweed. The two most common plants that cause hay fever symptoms are:

• Short Ragweed (Ambrosia aratemisiifolia)
• Giant Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida)

Short Ragweed
Short ragweed grows about 1-2 feet high. Under ideal conditions, it can grow to be 3-4 feet tall. Short Ragweed produces the most potent pollen.

Giant Ragweed
The tall ragweed plant grows about 4-5 feet tall and under ideal conditions, it can grow to be 15-16 feet tall. Tall ragweed produces the highest quantity of pollen.

Goldenrod is the Wrong Plant to Blame

Goldenrod weeds blooms at the end of the season during the same time that ragweed is producing pollen. It often gets blamed for ragweed allergy.
The picture below shows the yellow flowers blooming on Goldenrods.

Unlike ragweed, Goldenrods produce a showy flower that will get the attention of flying insects.

Goldenrod is different from ragweed. Goldenrod relies on insects to carry its pollen to another plant. Ragweed uses the wind for pollination. When people get in the way of ragweed trying to reproduce, hay fever is the result.
Below is a picture of a Goldenrod flower relying on an insect to carry its pollen.

Goldenrods produce sticky pollen that will cling to the insect during transport to another plant.

Who is at Risk?

Of all allergy sufferers who are allergic to some kind of pollen, 75% are allergic to ragweed. Ragweed allergy is the most common form of allergic rhinitis.

Genetics plays a role in developing ragweed allergy. If one or both parents have some type of allergy, the odds are in favor of the child developing an allergy. The type of allergy is not passed on to the child. The likelihood of developing some type of allergy is passed on to the child.

The environment in which we grow up in can play a role in developing allergies. Being exposed to high concentrations of allergens over time can sometimes trigger allergies. Ragweed certainly qualifies for producing high concentrations of an allergen. If the immune system becomes sensitized to pollen, an allergic reaction will occur at the next encounter with the pollen.

Diagnosing Hay Fever

Since genetics plays a role in developing allergies, an allergist will give a careful review of your medical history. A physical exam and testing will be needed.

The most common way to test for ragweed allergy is by skin test. By injecting or scratching into the skin various types of allergens, your doctor can determine exactly what allergens you are allergic to.

The skin will produce an allergic reaction to all the allergens tested for that you are sensitive to. It is best to have a trained allergist performing these tests. Interpreting the results is not always as straight forward as one would expect.

For those who have detected positive for ragweed allergy, it comes down to 3 choices. You can eliminate the unpleasant symptoms by:

• Drugs
• Immunotherapy (allergy shots)
• Avoidance

What to do about Ragweed Allergy

This website came into existence because I come from a family who has all sorts of nasal allergies. The many things that we learned is what this website is about.

At this time, there is no cure for ragweed allergy. As mentioned above, at the end of the day, it comes down to choosing between using drugs, allergy shots, or practicing avoidance.

I, nor any of my family members are opposed to pharmaceutical drugs. They certainly have their place in society. They come with advantages and disadvantages. Before we discovered environmental controls and avoidance strategies that worked for us, medication is all we used.

The problem I saw with the lifestyle of just using medication was that my family still suffered from ragweed allergy. I noticed that when the end of August came around, we were wishing for the frost to come in late October or November. What kind of quality of life are you enjoying when you are wishing away the next two months?

In the case of allergies, my family believes that avoidance is the first approach. It is the natural way to not have allergy symptoms. It is the healthiest approach. It is the choice with no side effects and saves on medication cost in the long run.

As an outlook on life, we believe that avoiding a disease is better than getting a disease and then finding a cure. As an outlook on allergies, we think that avoiding the allergic reaction is better than stopping the reaction once the inflammatory chemicals has been released into our system by the immune system.

An avoidance strategy is not an exact science. What works for one may not work for another and true success comes from trial and error. Pollen avoidance is not easy but the rewards are worth the effort. Below is a starting point listing minor lifestyle changes that should not disrupt your life.

• Avoid places that ragweed likes to grow. For example, stay away from vacant lots, construction sites, country roads, wooded areas, railroad tracks, and other places that ragweed likes to grow. By knowing what ragweed looks like, you can avoid it better.
• Some people with ragweed allergy can suffer from OAS. Oral Allergy Syndrome is when allergies symptoms get worse by consuming fruits and vegetable. A common symptom is for the mouth and throat to become itchy. Swelling of the tongue or lips or other areas of the mouth area can also be a sign. Some foods that might contribute to OAS are: Bananas, Cantaloupe, Zucchini, Sunflower seeds, Cucumbers, Watermelon, and Honeydew. Talk to your doctor if you think you might be experiencing OAS. Allergy testing by your physician can help identify some foods to avoid.
• Keep informed about the pollen count in your area.
• Plan your outdoor activities during times of lower pollen counts.
• The safest time to go outdoors is after a rainfall or in the evenings.
• Avoid the outdoors on dry, windy days.
• Avoid the outdoors during peak pollen release hours. Generally, pollen release occurs more during the hours of 5-10 in the morning. Pollen release depends on factors such as dew, humidity, rainfall, and wind conditions.
• Ask a family member who is not allergic to pollen to mow the lawn and rake leaves.
• Wear a mask while doing chores outside to protect your nasal passages.
• Wear sunglasses to keep pollen out of your eyes.
• Avoid wearing contact lenses outdoors since pollen will irritate the eyes.
• Change your clothes when coming in from the outside since pollen will stick to your clothes, hair and skin.
• Use a nasal rinse when coming in from the outside after doing chores.
• Don’t hang clothes out to dry since pollen and mold spores will stick to your laundry. Use your dryer instead and make sure it is vented to the outside.
• Pets bring in pollen from outdoors. Wash your hands after touching pets. For this reason, keep pets out of your bedroom.
• Use a vacuum that has a HEPA filter so that the pollen collected will be trapped and not sent back into the air for you to breathe in.
• Use an air cleaner with a HEPA filter to clean pollen out of the air because it is very difficult to keep ragweed pollen from getting into your home.
• Try to avoid other allergens that you might be allergic to. Allergens have an accumulative affect on the body. Try to avoid irritants such as tobacco smoke and other forms of indoor air pollution.
• Use a window screen designed to keep pollen out.
• Wash your hair before going to bed to prevent a build up of pollen on your pillow.
• Keep your bedroom door closed.
• Use allergy proof bedding. With ragweed allergies, it is important to get a good night sleep to let your immune system rest.
• Keep your windows shut to keep pollen out and do not use attic fans. They will draw pollen in.
• Use your air conditioner and change the filter regularly.
• Keep the windows in your car closed.
• Talk to your allergist if you think you may have ragweed allergy. They can help you find the right medication for you. Then follow their instructions and don’t try to take more in hopes of further symptoms reduction.

Avoidance will greatly reduce the frequency and severity of ragweed allergy symptoms. Working with your physician, you can discover the right combination of avoidance, medication and environmental controls that is right for you. It has been my experience to observe that the most successful people at achieving less allergy symptoms and improved quality of life are those that take a proactive approach. I have also observed that those who take a reactive approach find little relief from ragweed allergy.

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