Allergy Season: A Survival Guide For Sufferers
Many people dread allergy season and the symptoms that come along with it. As soon as spring makes a green appearance, so do the puffy red eyes and irritation or types of eczema. But, how can you prepare yourself for this. You must first be aware of when the allergy season in your area starts and what vegetation will be a bother to you!
The Areas:
South
Because the southern parts of the United States have a warmer climate they are the first to have plants pollinating every year. These areas tend to stay warmer longer, meaning that their first frost doesn’t come until later. The allergy season in this area are much longer than other areas. Mold is also a larger problem during the summer months in these areas; this creates a higher irritation rate for mold allergy sufferers.
What Causes Allergies in this Area?
• Grasses - These are normally a bother from April until September (in central southern states). The southeast and west have a different time frame for grass allergens, however. The grass pollen seasons in this area normally run from March to October.
• Trees - As strange as it sounds, trees are a common allergen. The time frame for these allergens is from January to June.
• Mold: Mold season (June to August) may be more extreme in coastal areas due to high humidity and damp summers. This can cause mold allergens not only outside but inside as well.
• Ragweed: These allergens normally peak from August to November in many Southern states. In the further south areas (such as Florida) ragweed season often hits as early as July.
North
The northern areas of the United States have it a bit easier than the rest of the country because it starts a bit later there. They also have a lack of ragweed (with 3 out of 4 people suffering from this allergy- that’s a big sigh of relief!).
Common Allergens in this Area Include:
• Trees - February to June in the northwest. March to June for other northern states.
• Grasses - These allergens are at their peak from May to August.
• Ragweed - The northern states have these from August to October while the northwest has no season for this allergen.
• Mold - This is a constant struggle- it does not have a specific time frame because it’s always consistent.
Midwest
Although this area has a shorter allergy season than the Midwest, they have a much stronger amount of grass pollen in the summer time.
• Mold - This does not change throughout the season. It is always a problem.
• Grasses - This allergen is worst in the summer months ranging from May to August.
• Trees - This peaks from February to June.
• Ragweed - This allergen climaxes in the fall (August to October).
Now that we have identified the time frames in which it occur- let’s now take a look at the symptoms of allergies:
• Sneezing
• Coughing
• Eye Irritation
• Allergic Shiners (dark eye circles)
• Chest Tightness
• Difficulty Inhaling
• Wheezing
• Red and Itchy Skin
The symptoms will vary depending on what the allergy is and how severely allergic you are to the allergen. Common allergies and symptoms that accompany them will vary for everyone. If you find yourself having many of the above listed symptoms or any strange allergy symptoms during the allergy season, there are many over the counter medicines to aid you. You should always consult your physician before beginning any treatment.
