Four Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Your Seasonal Allergies

by Achal M. Achal

Millions of people suffer from the runny noses, itchy eyes, sore throat, and congestion associated with seasonal allergies. Whether it’s the beginning of fall or of spring, the pollen is in the air, and your body is going into overdrive trying to fight off the irritants. You lose sleep, and you’re generally miserable for about a week or two. Sound familiar? The key to managing these allergies is to learn more about seasonal allergies and their causes, effects, and why our bodies react the way they do. Here are for things you probably didn’t know about your seasonal allergies.

1. It’s Actually Your Body’s Fault

An allergen is any substance that causes a histamine, or immune response in the body. Your immune system thinks that whatever you’ve come into contact with is a potential threat, and immediately starts attacking it. This is what causes the irritation, excess mucus, and overall discomfort. Your body is treating the allergen like a disease or infection, and lending heavy resources to removing it. Some people are predisposed to be allergic to certain irritants, while others develop the reaction over prolonged exposure with the allergen.

In the Fall and Spring, the pollen, or reproductive spores from plants, are released and get picked up by the wind and carried throughout the air. These particles come into contact with our eyes, get breathed into our lungs via our throats and noses, and start wreaking havoc on our immune systems. Pollen allergies are actually quite common. The irony of the plants causing our air to become infested with pollen is that plants also release oxygen as a waste product, so while they help us breath, their reproductive methods can make that very task quite difficult.

2. Those Allergens Can Hide In Your Home For the Winter

In addition to pollen, dust, mold, and mildew can cause your seasonal allergies to flare up. Have you ever done spring cleaning, pulled out that old couch to sweep behind it, and found a mountain of dust? Once you start sweeping the dust around, the particulates get pushed into the air as well, and can contain pollen residue themselves, settled from the last allergy season when you probably had your windows open. Pollen can stick to clothes, sheets and bedding, curtains and blinds, even kid’s toys (especially stuffed animals).

Having hypoallergenic bedding is helpful for reducing the amount of allergens that stick to your bedding, and continuing weekly cleaning and air filter maintenance on your furnace and air purifiers can also help. Getting rid of the dust before it has a chance to build up is the best way to prevent the allergens from circling around your home the next time you do a spring cleaning.

If you have mold in your home, it’s best to get it removed as quickly as possible. Mold is not only an irritant, but some spores can be fatal to certain people, causing a severe allergic reaction or even respiratory arrest. Plus, no one wants ugly black mold growing all over their bathroom or basement.

3. That Spring Rainstorm Makes Things Worse

Everyone loves a good spring shower; everything just seems more green and lively after a good rainstorm. The flowers are blooming, the leaves are all bright green and lush with fresh nutrients. Unfortunately, however, those same spring rains that bring such wonder also cause plants to release spores and disturb pollen, releasing it into the air.

Dust, dirt, and any fine particulate will stick to a wet surface much more effectively than a dry one, and so rain creates the perfect conditions for allergens to spread and stay where they’re deposited. With recent weather patterns, rain in the fall and spring has become more frequent in the western hemisphere, no doubt bringing further allergy complications with the excess water.

4. Allergy Causing Pollen Exists On Certain Raw Foods

That’s right, even your food can be contaminated with allergy causing pollens. Think about it; raw fruits and vegetables come from flowering plants, which release pollen to reproduce. Usually a good wash (which should be done anyways with store bought produce) is enough to remove these allergens from the food surface. So the next time you go to eat a juicy red apple in the heart of Autumn, remember to give it a wash first, especially if your eyes start to water when you handle it. Food and Pollen allergies often overlap as well, where if you’re allergic to a certain food you may also be allergic to its pollen (assuming it creates pollen). See your doctor for proper allergy tests so you know ahead of time what you are and aren’t allergic to.

Conclusion

Your body treats allergens like foreign invaders, causing the immune system to react. Your allergy symptoms are a byproduct of the body’s defenses. Don’t be too upset, though; your body isn’t out to get you, in fact it’s only trying to protect you from what it views as a threat. Your home may have a high concentration of allergens, so a little cleaning and maintenance can go a long way.

Make sure to dust every now and then, before those dust piles start getting too big and end up getting swept into the air when you finally clean them. Avoid going outside during or after an intense rainstorm during allergy season, and always wash your fruit and vegetables before you eat them.