Pollen, Mold, and Sneezes: Your Guide to Seasonal Allergy Relief

After a long winter, many people anticipate the warmer weather and longer days of spring and summer. But the change in season can also bring challenges for seasonal allergy suffers.

Experts say climate change is contributing to longer allergy seasons and more intense symptoms for many people. Seasonal allergies impact an estimated one in three adults and one in four children.

“Allergies can cause real misery for people,” says Katie Harris, a nurse practitioner with ThedaCare Physicians-Darboy. “Finding effective treatments and lifestyle changes can help reduce the suffering.”

Allergy Symptoms

Allergens such as spores, grass and tree pollen in the air, and molds can trigger symptoms. These include:

Itchy and watery eyes
Stuffy and runny nose
Congestion and post-nasal drip
Throat scratchiness or tickle
Coughing

“These symptoms occur when your immune system recognizes allergens as intruders,” Harris says. “Your immune system will release chemicals that are meant to fight off the supposed pathogen, but it results in triggering your allergic symptoms.”

Allergies or Virus?

Making matters more complicated, allergies and common cold viruses share many symptoms.

“Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether you’ve got a virus or you’re experiencing seasonal allergies — or both,” Harris says. “Because colds and allergies call for different treatments, it’s important to know which you’re dealing with.”

Certain signs might tip you off that you have a cold, not allergies or vice versa. Sore throat and cough are more common in colds than allergies. Allergies also do not typically cause a fever, while colds often do. People with allergies might experience puffy eyelids or dark circles beneath their eyes.

To find the exact cause of your symptoms, your doctor may recommend you undergo a skin or blood test to determine which allergens impact you. Prior to testing, let your doctor know which medications you’re taking as they may affect your test results.

Targeting Treatments

“It’s important to treat seasonal allergies not only to relieve bothersome symptoms, but also because they can worsen other conditions such as asthma,” Harris says.

Common treatments include:

Oral antihistamines can help relieve sneezing, itching, a stuffy or runny nose and watery eyes. Name brands include Zyrtec, Allegra, Claritin and Alavert.
Corticosteroid nasal sprays can improve nasal symptoms. Examples include Flonase, Rhinocort and Nasacort. Talk to your doctor about how long you should take corticosteroid nasal sprays.
Oral decongestants such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) can provide temporary relief from nasal stuffiness. Some allergy medications combine an antihistamine with a decongestant. Examples include cetirizine-pseudoephedrine, fexofenadine-pseudoephedrine and loratadine-pseudoephedrine. Talk with your doctor before taking an oral decongestant. Long-term use can cause high blood pressure and lead to rebound congestion, an inflammation of the nasal passages.
Saline sprays offer a non-medicated way to relieve nasal congestion. This method directly flushes out mucus and allergens from your nose.

For more tenacious allergies, your doctor may recommend allergen immunotherapy through injections or prescription tablets that dissolve under your tongue.

“Talk to your doctor, because they can offer ways to help you manage your symptoms if over-the-counter medications aren’t sufficient,” X says. “Ideally, that conversation happens before allergy season begins. Addressing allergies early can help head off the suffering.”

Preventing Problems

While treatment goes a long way in alleviating symptoms, so does prevention.

“Keep track of allergens in the air prior to heading outdoors,” Harris says. “When levels of pollen and mold spore rise, you may want to alter your plans.”

Most weather apps have an allergen tracker feature. You also can use the allergen report available through the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

Other tips for avoiding allergens include:

Wearing a hat outdoors to help keep pollen off your hair.
Changing your clothes when you go back indoors.
Wearing a mask for activities such as yard work that might kick up grass pollen or spores. Alternatively, hire or recruit someone else to do the job.
Keeping a mat for wiping your feet or taking your shoes off outside.
Taking a shower and washing your hair in the evening.
Using dust covers on your pillows and washing them along with your pillowcases to reduce allergic reactions from dust mites. Wash or dry clean pillows every few months. Also consider adding a dust cover to your mattress.
Running air conditioning if possible and keeping windows and doors closed to keep pollen out. Keeping temperatures cool also helps keep humidity down to prevent the formation of mold.
Using a damp microfiber cloth to trap dust instead of brushing it away. Clean from top to bottom. Don’t forget all surfaces, including window coverings, ceiling fans, window and door molding, and picture frames.
Using a bagless vacuum with a HEPA filter.
Using filters or air purifiers to capture allergens that manage to still find their way inside. HEPA filters can remove most airborne particles.
Regularly changing filters in air conditioning units. Homes with HVAC systems can be upgraded with a better air filter. Check to see what your system will accommodate. Regardless, check and change your filters often.