Pollen allergy may be the reason for your sneezing in spite of a change in seasons
Mark Bevan asked:
About Hay Fever
In the various seasons (spring, summer, and fall) during the year, pollen grains are dispersed from trees, weeds, and grasses. These pollen grains travel on air currents to fertilize other plants. Inhaling pollen, in some people, can trigger seasonal allergic rhinitis which is also called pollen allergy or hay fever. In this condition the mucous membranes in the nasal passages inflame, which causes swelling, sneezing, itching, irritation and a runny nose.
Allergy seasons are :
May – July/August – Grass pollen: Feb – June – Tree pollen (depending on whether allergic to early or late flowering trees) August – September – Nettle/weed pollen
Hay fever symptoms can continue all the year round and may also occur from indoor allergens like house dust mites, pets and possibly indoor moulds.
Hay fever is actually an attempt by the body to rid itself of allergens but the immune system overreacts and releases chemicals which cause inflammation, causing:
Itchy, watery, red eyes Frequent sneezing Constantly dripping nose
Sufferers, when afflicted with this condition, have to struggle to breathe through their nose. Symptoms are often quite bad in young people and tails off in later years as the body adapts. Studies have shown that hay fever can severely affect the quality of life, disturb sleep patterns, impair daytime concentration and work performance.
What is pollen allergy?
Pollen once released from trees, weeds and grasses, ride on air currents with a mission to disperse and fertilize other plants. However, they rarely reach their targets. On the way they get into human noses and throats, triggering allergic reactions.
Pollen is one of the most pervasive things that can cause an allergy and cannot be avoided. Many allergy causing foods, drugs, or animals can be largely avoided but insects and household dust are inescapable. However, short of staying indoors, there is no foolproof method of evading windborne pollen. Nonetheless, ways have been established that help ease the symptoms of hay fever. Moreover, scientists are working to find better approaches to allergy treatment.
Research has helped provide a better understanding of the causes of allergy, improve the methods for diagnosing and treating allergic reactions and thereby eventually preventing them. The common signs and symptoms of pollen allergy are:
Sneezing, the most common, may be accompanied by a runny or clogged nose Itching eyes, nose, and throat Allergic shiners (dark circles under the eyes caused by restricted blood flow near the sinuses) The “allergic salute” (in a child, persistent upward rubbing of the nose that causes a crease mark on the nose) Watering eyes Conjunctivitis (is inflammation of the membrane that lines the eyelids, causing red-rimmed eyes)
In a pollen-sensitive person, as soon as the allergy-causing pollen lands on the mucous membranes of the nose, a chain reaction occurs that leads the mast cells in these tissues to release histamine. This potent chemical dilates the small blood vessels in the nose; causing the fluids to escape through the expanded vessel walls, which in turn results in swelling of the nasal passages as well as nasal congestion. On the other hand, histamine also causes itching, irritation, and excess mucus production. Similarly, other chemicals like prostaglandins and leukotrienes also contribute to allergic symptoms.
Some people with pollen allergy also develop asthma, a serious respiratory condition, which can eventually become chronic. Symptoms include coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath due to a narrowing of the bronchial passages and excess mucus production.
About Hay Fever
In the various seasons (spring, summer, and fall) during the year, pollen grains are dispersed from trees, weeds, and grasses. These pollen grains travel on air currents to fertilize other plants. Inhaling pollen, in some people, can trigger seasonal allergic rhinitis which is also called pollen allergy or hay fever. In this condition the mucous membranes in the nasal passages inflame, which causes swelling, sneezing, itching, irritation and a runny nose.
Allergy seasons are :
May – July/August – Grass pollen: Feb – June – Tree pollen (depending on whether allergic to early or late flowering trees) August – September – Nettle/weed pollen
Hay fever symptoms can continue all the year round and may also occur from indoor allergens like house dust mites, pets and possibly indoor moulds.
Hay fever is actually an attempt by the body to rid itself of allergens but the immune system overreacts and releases chemicals which cause inflammation, causing:
Itchy, watery, red eyes Frequent sneezing Constantly dripping nose
Sufferers, when afflicted with this condition, have to struggle to breathe through their nose. Symptoms are often quite bad in young people and tails off in later years as the body adapts. Studies have shown that hay fever can severely affect the quality of life, disturb sleep patterns, impair daytime concentration and work performance.
What is pollen allergy?
Pollen once released from trees, weeds and grasses, ride on air currents with a mission to disperse and fertilize other plants. However, they rarely reach their targets. On the way they get into human noses and throats, triggering allergic reactions.
Pollen is one of the most pervasive things that can cause an allergy and cannot be avoided. Many allergy causing foods, drugs, or animals can be largely avoided but insects and household dust are inescapable. However, short of staying indoors, there is no foolproof method of evading windborne pollen. Nonetheless, ways have been established that help ease the symptoms of hay fever. Moreover, scientists are working to find better approaches to allergy treatment.
Research has helped provide a better understanding of the causes of allergy, improve the methods for diagnosing and treating allergic reactions and thereby eventually preventing them. The common signs and symptoms of pollen allergy are:
Sneezing, the most common, may be accompanied by a runny or clogged nose Itching eyes, nose, and throat Allergic shiners (dark circles under the eyes caused by restricted blood flow near the sinuses) The “allergic salute” (in a child, persistent upward rubbing of the nose that causes a crease mark on the nose) Watering eyes Conjunctivitis (is inflammation of the membrane that lines the eyelids, causing red-rimmed eyes)
In a pollen-sensitive person, as soon as the allergy-causing pollen lands on the mucous membranes of the nose, a chain reaction occurs that leads the mast cells in these tissues to release histamine. This potent chemical dilates the small blood vessels in the nose; causing the fluids to escape through the expanded vessel walls, which in turn results in swelling of the nasal passages as well as nasal congestion. On the other hand, histamine also causes itching, irritation, and excess mucus production. Similarly, other chemicals like prostaglandins and leukotrienes also contribute to allergic symptoms.
Some people with pollen allergy also develop asthma, a serious respiratory condition, which can eventually become chronic. Symptoms include coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath due to a narrowing of the bronchial passages and excess mucus production.
Explaining Nasal Allergies – Allergens That Make You Sneeze Exposed
Abhishek Agarwal asked:
If you are prone to sneezing problems then blame it on your genetics and your body’s lack of immunity. Allergic rhinitis or nasal allergy is bound to occur in a person if they are exposed to allergens, pollution, and cigarette smoke or happen to have a low weight at birth.
Doctors are puzzled as to why some people are allergic to certain substances while others are not, but one thing they are sure is that your body responds to these allergens. Your body’s immune system has been programmed in such a way as to react whenever a foreign body gets into the nose and these triggers off a series of reactions in the body when the immune system begins its fight to repel the substance. During this process a chemical substance called histamine is released. This is why your eyes begin to water and your nose starts running. At times more severe problems like wheezing and breathing difficulties occur in some people.
Many a times it is allergens which are present in the atmosphere that are the main cause for nasal allergies though these allergens can come from different sources. One of the main causes of nasal allergies through out the country is due to pollens, and their concentration can vary according to the places. Some places may be concentrated with flowering varieties which can generate enough pollen in the air while it may not be so in other places. Some pollen like rag weed can travel far and wide, so even if you live in a city you may still be affected by it. Flowering trees, plants, grass and bushes can also release a number of pollen grains into the air causing nasal allergies.
Though dust can cause you to sneeze it may not cause nasal allergy. But dust mites which are tiny microscopic organisms which can be found in mattresses, carpets and furniture can cause nasal allergy. You will know for sure that it is the dust mites which are actually causing you to sneeze when in the winter months the pollens in the air are at a minimal and you still find yourself sneezing endlessly.
Another serious allergic problem is caused by animal dander. Dander which comes from pets like dogs and cats easily settle down in carpets and furniture and cause you to experience sneezing problems even after you have got rid of your pets. The only way that you can get rid of dander once and for all is getting the carpet and upholstery in the sofas in your home vacuumed thoroughly and having them shampooed.
You will know that you are having a nasal allergy the moment your nose starts to twitch and you begin sneezing for no reason. It is the body’s way of trying to get rid of the allergen. The nose then starts to run and this is how the body’s mechanism tries to wash out the allergen. A little later say after a few hours you will find that you are now having a stuffy nose and you become extremely sensitive to other irritants. You will have to endure this for the duration it takes for the body to have the allergen to be cleared from your body. For some people they can develop more serious problems like asthma or sinus infections.
If you are prone to sneezing problems then blame it on your genetics and your body’s lack of immunity. Allergic rhinitis or nasal allergy is bound to occur in a person if they are exposed to allergens, pollution, and cigarette smoke or happen to have a low weight at birth.
Doctors are puzzled as to why some people are allergic to certain substances while others are not, but one thing they are sure is that your body responds to these allergens. Your body’s immune system has been programmed in such a way as to react whenever a foreign body gets into the nose and these triggers off a series of reactions in the body when the immune system begins its fight to repel the substance. During this process a chemical substance called histamine is released. This is why your eyes begin to water and your nose starts running. At times more severe problems like wheezing and breathing difficulties occur in some people.
Many a times it is allergens which are present in the atmosphere that are the main cause for nasal allergies though these allergens can come from different sources. One of the main causes of nasal allergies through out the country is due to pollens, and their concentration can vary according to the places. Some places may be concentrated with flowering varieties which can generate enough pollen in the air while it may not be so in other places. Some pollen like rag weed can travel far and wide, so even if you live in a city you may still be affected by it. Flowering trees, plants, grass and bushes can also release a number of pollen grains into the air causing nasal allergies.
Though dust can cause you to sneeze it may not cause nasal allergy. But dust mites which are tiny microscopic organisms which can be found in mattresses, carpets and furniture can cause nasal allergy. You will know for sure that it is the dust mites which are actually causing you to sneeze when in the winter months the pollens in the air are at a minimal and you still find yourself sneezing endlessly.
Another serious allergic problem is caused by animal dander. Dander which comes from pets like dogs and cats easily settle down in carpets and furniture and cause you to experience sneezing problems even after you have got rid of your pets. The only way that you can get rid of dander once and for all is getting the carpet and upholstery in the sofas in your home vacuumed thoroughly and having them shampooed.
You will know that you are having a nasal allergy the moment your nose starts to twitch and you begin sneezing for no reason. It is the body’s way of trying to get rid of the allergen. The nose then starts to run and this is how the body’s mechanism tries to wash out the allergen. A little later say after a few hours you will find that you are now having a stuffy nose and you become extremely sensitive to other irritants. You will have to endure this for the duration it takes for the body to have the allergen to be cleared from your body. For some people they can develop more serious problems like asthma or sinus infections.
Hay Fever, Perennial Sneezing and Asthma
Tom alter asked:
Some people who inherit an allergy sensitive background develop certain allergies from time to time. These allergies may be due to many environmental factors and sometimes symptoms of asthma are also impersonated by them. Some common forms of these allergic reactions may be seasonal while others may be perennial in nature.
It is important to understand the differences between these and asthma so that they are never confused with asthma because their treatments as well the severity both differ from each other. Seasonal sneezing is called seasonal allergic rhinitis or hay fever in the common parlance. As against the name it is not caused because of hay but because of certain pollutants mainly certain kinds of pollen in the environment to which a person may be allergic.
In contrast to these people some others suffer with sneezing bouts, stuffy or running nose almost all the year round. These people suffer from perennial sneezing or perennial allergic rhinitis. When these people are exposed to cold wind, sunlight, dust and fumes the symptoms of the sneezing bouts precipitate.
In hay fever or seasonal allergic rhinitis the symptoms appear gradually or all of a sudden. This depends upon the degree of exposure to the offending allergen and also upon the degree to which the person may be allergic to them. When the symptoms appear gradually they are accompanied with mild sensation of itching and burning of the eyes and mild irritation in the nose or itching of the palate inside the mouth.
The symptoms usually appear in the early morning hours when the concentration of pollen grains is at its peak. The sneezing bouts are also accompanied with marked increase in the nasal congestion, throat congestion, running of the nose profusely and watery eyes. The nasal mucous membrane becomes highly sensitive with advancement of symptoms and any slight change in the nasal mucous membrane manifests in heavy bouts of sneezing.
These changes may be of very slight nature like appearance of a draft, strong odours, or even minute quantities of dust. In addition to these symptoms there may be appearance of other associated symptoms like general lethargy, loss of appetite, drowsiness and also pain in the body with slight rise in temperature.
In some patients in addition to the above mentioned conditions the symptoms of bronchial asthma also develop side by side making the conditions worse. These symptoms either develop right from the start of the other symptoms or may develop later as the disease advances. The worse part is that once a person starts with these symptoms he may continue with the symptoms of asthma even after the sneezing attacks stop.
This condition can be very easily diagnosed with the study of the case history of the patient. The tests usually undertaken to identify the pollens are skin tests with extracts of the pollen and scratch or intracutaneous tests giving positive reactions to the pollens simultaneously with a confirmation of the same through consultation of the pollen calendar.
Once the offending pollen is identified the effect of it can be controlled efficiently by hypo sensitization tests. Treatment with antihistamine tablets generally proves to be every effective. But it is only a temporary resort. The allergen has to be properly identified and then treated accordingly with preventive measures and drug therapy if need be.
Taking preventive action to overcome seasonal sneezing attacks is very important. For this undue exposure in a particular season should be completely avoided. Outdoor activities like tending to the garden or farming should not be done. The windows of the rooms should be kept closed as far as possible to avoid exposure to the allergen. In extreme cases using air conditioning may be the only way out.
The patients of perennial sneezing or perennial allergic rhinitis have sneezing, running nose, blocked or stuffy nose and nasal discharge almost all the year round. These people many – a – times are found to be snoring at night and are in the habit of breathing through the mouth. They have discomfort in the ears because of blockage in the ear tubes that open in the throat.
These are called Eustachian tubes. When the irritation persists for a long time a person tends to rub the nose vigorously and repeatedly. This leads to development of a crease across the nose called the allergic crease. Some paranasal sinuses may also get blocked leading to accumulation of secretions.
When the ear, nose and throat get infected repeatedly there may be accompanying fever. Exposure to irritants like cold wind, sunlight, dust, fumes and smoke all lead to aggravation of the symptoms. These symptoms usually occur in the early morning hours and then the symptoms may continue throughout the day and even at night. The symptoms in severe cases may resemble symptoms of asthma accompanied with bronchial spasm and suffocation.
The condition is generally diagnosed after studying the family history of allergy. The lab test of eosinophil count is a must to come to concrete conclusions. Skin test of pollen and other allergens is necessary in case the eosinophil count is normal. Treatment with antihistamines helps very limited people. Nasal drops may provide temporary relief but they should be used very sparingly as they work on the principle of cauterization, that is burning o the mucous membrane of the nose so that the nasal passage becomes insensitive. Hyposensitization works efficiently and surgery may be used in very extreme cases only.
Some people who inherit an allergy sensitive background develop certain allergies from time to time. These allergies may be due to many environmental factors and sometimes symptoms of asthma are also impersonated by them. Some common forms of these allergic reactions may be seasonal while others may be perennial in nature.
It is important to understand the differences between these and asthma so that they are never confused with asthma because their treatments as well the severity both differ from each other. Seasonal sneezing is called seasonal allergic rhinitis or hay fever in the common parlance. As against the name it is not caused because of hay but because of certain pollutants mainly certain kinds of pollen in the environment to which a person may be allergic.
In contrast to these people some others suffer with sneezing bouts, stuffy or running nose almost all the year round. These people suffer from perennial sneezing or perennial allergic rhinitis. When these people are exposed to cold wind, sunlight, dust and fumes the symptoms of the sneezing bouts precipitate.
In hay fever or seasonal allergic rhinitis the symptoms appear gradually or all of a sudden. This depends upon the degree of exposure to the offending allergen and also upon the degree to which the person may be allergic to them. When the symptoms appear gradually they are accompanied with mild sensation of itching and burning of the eyes and mild irritation in the nose or itching of the palate inside the mouth.
The symptoms usually appear in the early morning hours when the concentration of pollen grains is at its peak. The sneezing bouts are also accompanied with marked increase in the nasal congestion, throat congestion, running of the nose profusely and watery eyes. The nasal mucous membrane becomes highly sensitive with advancement of symptoms and any slight change in the nasal mucous membrane manifests in heavy bouts of sneezing.
These changes may be of very slight nature like appearance of a draft, strong odours, or even minute quantities of dust. In addition to these symptoms there may be appearance of other associated symptoms like general lethargy, loss of appetite, drowsiness and also pain in the body with slight rise in temperature.
In some patients in addition to the above mentioned conditions the symptoms of bronchial asthma also develop side by side making the conditions worse. These symptoms either develop right from the start of the other symptoms or may develop later as the disease advances. The worse part is that once a person starts with these symptoms he may continue with the symptoms of asthma even after the sneezing attacks stop.
This condition can be very easily diagnosed with the study of the case history of the patient. The tests usually undertaken to identify the pollens are skin tests with extracts of the pollen and scratch or intracutaneous tests giving positive reactions to the pollens simultaneously with a confirmation of the same through consultation of the pollen calendar.
Once the offending pollen is identified the effect of it can be controlled efficiently by hypo sensitization tests. Treatment with antihistamine tablets generally proves to be every effective. But it is only a temporary resort. The allergen has to be properly identified and then treated accordingly with preventive measures and drug therapy if need be.
Taking preventive action to overcome seasonal sneezing attacks is very important. For this undue exposure in a particular season should be completely avoided. Outdoor activities like tending to the garden or farming should not be done. The windows of the rooms should be kept closed as far as possible to avoid exposure to the allergen. In extreme cases using air conditioning may be the only way out.
The patients of perennial sneezing or perennial allergic rhinitis have sneezing, running nose, blocked or stuffy nose and nasal discharge almost all the year round. These people many – a – times are found to be snoring at night and are in the habit of breathing through the mouth. They have discomfort in the ears because of blockage in the ear tubes that open in the throat.
These are called Eustachian tubes. When the irritation persists for a long time a person tends to rub the nose vigorously and repeatedly. This leads to development of a crease across the nose called the allergic crease. Some paranasal sinuses may also get blocked leading to accumulation of secretions.
When the ear, nose and throat get infected repeatedly there may be accompanying fever. Exposure to irritants like cold wind, sunlight, dust, fumes and smoke all lead to aggravation of the symptoms. These symptoms usually occur in the early morning hours and then the symptoms may continue throughout the day and even at night. The symptoms in severe cases may resemble symptoms of asthma accompanied with bronchial spasm and suffocation.
The condition is generally diagnosed after studying the family history of allergy. The lab test of eosinophil count is a must to come to concrete conclusions. Skin test of pollen and other allergens is necessary in case the eosinophil count is normal. Treatment with antihistamines helps very limited people. Nasal drops may provide temporary relief but they should be used very sparingly as they work on the principle of cauterization, that is burning o the mucous membrane of the nose so that the nasal passage becomes insensitive. Hyposensitization works efficiently and surgery may be used in very extreme cases only.
