While we may love the great outdoors, especially in the fall, for some people, the fall season can be a difficult time. As the leaves begin to change and the days get shorter, those who suffer from fall allergies don’t always welcome the season change. For those who are sensitive to ragweed pollen and mold, the fall season can quickly become a sneezing and wheezing season. Once the leaves fall to the ground, the stagnant nature produces mold, especially when combined with mild fall temperatures mixed with rain.
The symptoms of fall allergies can include any of the following:
• Sneezing
• Wheezing
• Runny nose
• Congestion
• Itchy eyes
• Puffy eyes
• Red eyes
• Hives
• Itchy skin
• Asthma attacks
• Fatigue
The mixture of stagnant leaves and pollen isn’t the only fall allergy triggers you need to worry about. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, you also need to be aware of these lesser-known triggers if you suffer from fall allergies.
Hay Fever– Despite the name, hay fever has nothing to do with hay. Also known as allergic rhinitis, hay fever is the term used when a person suffers from late summer allergies. Ragweed pollination typically peaks around Labor Day, and due to the wind, this allergen can stick around until the first hard freeze of winter.
Extended Summer (Indian Summer) – While we often celebrate when its warm out, especially when our summer season gets extended, for those with allergies, unseasonably warm temperatures can prove troublesome. When the warm weather sticks around, it can prolong allergic rhinitis symptoms due to the extra pollen in the air.
Back to School – For those who suffer from allergies and asthma, back to school season is crawling with allergens that can easily trigger an attack. For both kids and adults alike, the new school year can expose a person to pet dander, mold, cleaning products, dust mites, and can even cause exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) symptoms to occur.
Leaves – When we are kids, it is fun to create piles of leaves and jump into them. However, as adults, leaves often turn into a day of work. Many feel that raking is a necessity in order to preserve their lawn, but for those with mold and pollen allergies, raking leaves can actually make your symptoms worse. Raking and even playing in the leaves can agitate these allergens and release them into the air.
If you are suffering from asthma and allergy symptoms, see a board-certified allergist so you can be properly diagnosed and treated.