Hay Fever
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to triggers like pollen or dust, leading to cold-like symptoms.
Hay Fever Is Common
About 50 million people in the US suffer from hay fever. In Texas, top allergy triggers are tree, grass, and weed pollen.
How Does Hay Fever Happen?
Hay fever happens when your immune system mistakes something harmless like pollen for something dangerous. In response, your body releases chemicals that trigger allergy symptoms.
Long-Term Effects
Hay fever can cause misery, but usually not much more than that. Sometimes, however, it can lead to sinus or ear infections, or make asthma worse.
Causes
Tree Pollen
Pollen from trees like oak, cedar, and birch tend to cause the most allergy symptoms in the spring.
Grass Pollen
Pollen from grasses typically affect people in late spring and summer.
Weed Pollen
Weed pollen allergies are more common in late summer and fall. Ragweed is one of the biggest “allergy troublemakers” in Texas.
Pet Dander
Dander is the tiny flakes of dead skin pets shed. Any animal with fur can cause allergies but they are most commonly associated with cats and dogs.
Mold
Mold spores, the tiny structures produced by mold for reproduction, float through the air and land on surfaces, where they grow if conditions are favorable.
symptoms
Hay fever symptoms mirror those of a common cold. However, if symptoms last longer than 10 days, it's probably allergies, not a cold.
Itchy/Watery Eyes
When your body releases histamine in response to allergens, it can cause your eyes to itch, become red, and water.
Runny Nose
Your nose may produce a lot of clear, watery mucus to try to wash away the pollen. This can make it hard to breathe through your nose and lead to more sneezing.
Fatigue
Constant sneezing, congestion, and other allergy symptoms can make it hard to sleep well at night. When you don’t get enough rest, you may feel tired or sluggish during the day.
Sore Throat
A sore throat can happen because of postnasal drip, where mucus drips down the back of throat. This can make your throat irritated.
Acute Cough
The mucus dripping down your throat can also make you cough. This dry cough can last as long as you are having allergy symptoms.
Sneezing
When your nasal passages get irritated, your body sneezes to try to rid your body of the allergen.
Treatment
Hay fever can usually be managed at home with the following treatments.
Avoid Triggers
Stay indoors when pollen counts are high.
Keep windows closed during high pollen days.
Use an air conditioner to filter the air inside your home.
Shower and change your clothes after being outside to remove pollen from your body.
Medications
Antihistamines relieve symptoms by blocking the chemical called histamine.
Nasal corticosteroids reduce inflammation in your nose.
Decongestants reduce stuffiness. They should only be used for a short time to avoid making your stuffiness worse later.
Leukotriene modifiers (Singulair, Zyflo) block certain chemicals released during an allergic reaction.
Immunotherapy like allergy shots or sublingual (under the tongue) tablets slowly make your body less sensitive to pollen.
When to See Your Provider
Symptoms don't go away or improve with over-the-counter treatments.
You develop a very painful sore throat that doesn't go away.
Your cough gets worse.
You're short of breath.
You have symptoms of a secondary infection like fever or green/yellow mucus when you blow your nose.
How We Can Help
If you have hay fever, talk to your provider. During your visit, your provider will ask you about your symptoms and check your ears, nose, and throat. If your symptoms are frequent or severe, your provider may collaborate with an allergy specialist to create a personalized plan that includes strategies like medication, lifestyle adjustments, and allergy testing.
Looking for a provider?
Find one here or call us at
866-325-0301
