A touch of fall is finally in the air (or at least around the corner), and the thought of spending more time in the cool autumn temps is very appealing. But with fall often comes the itchy eyes and skin, sneezing and nasal congestion of seasonal allergies.
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) 50 million people in the U.S. suffer from allergies each year. This statistic begs the question: What causes these seasonal allergy symptoms?
Ragweed is the biggest allergy trigger in the fall. About 75 percent of people who are allergic to spring plants are also affected by ragweed. Ragweed starts pollinating in late summer and can continue through September or October, depending on how warm the weather is. Even if ragweed is not prevalent in your area, its pollen can travel hundreds of miles through the air, triggering fall allergy symptoms.
Mold is another cause of fall allergies and it doesn’t just grow in damp places inside the home. Mold can also grow outside in piles of wet leaves. Outdoor molds also grow in heavy vegetation, hay, and straw. Growth tends to increase after it rains. Make sure to wipe your feet before going inside so that you don’t track mold or fall allergy carriers, such as leaves, into your home.
Yet another trigger to fall allergies is dust mites. These tiny bugs live in mattresses and bedding (they do not bite). When their droppings and remains become airborne, it causes allergy symptoms. While they’re common during the humid summer months, they can get stirred into the air the first time you turn on your heat in the fall and can trigger those annoying allergy symptoms.
No one wants to stay inside during the beautiful fall season, and unfortunately, it’s impossible to avoid all allergy triggers. So when those pesky seasonal symptoms creep up on you, walk into an AFC location near you and let us help you get ahead of your allergy symptoms this season.