Although the symptoms of environmental allergies vary from person to person, the most common ones include sneezing, runny nose, itching, headaches, shortness of breath, wheezing, and fatigue. You may develop an environmental allergy when your immune system identifies pollen, mold, or another substance known as an allergen as harmful. The allergen stimulates the cells in your immune system to release certain chemicals and cause allergy symptoms.
Environmental allergies can interfere with your ability to complete daily tasks and diminish your overall quality of life.
Common Types of Environmental Allergies
There are a variety of environmental allergies you may develop. However, the most common ones are:
Mold
Mold is a fungus that is often seen in humid and damp environments as well as outdoors. If you are allergic to mold, your immune system is overly sensitive to certain mold types such as Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Cladosporium. Coughing, sneezing, itchy skin, and breathing challenges are the most common causes of mold allergies.
Pollen
Pollen is a fine powder produced by trees, grasses, flowers, and weeds. Although it is an important substance as it fertilizes plants, it is one of the leading causes of environmental allergies. A pollen allergy may cause sneezing, itchy throat, and watery eyes and worsen in the spring and late fall when pollen counts are higher.
Dust Mites
Dust mites are tiny bugs that are often found in furniture, upholstered carpets and couches, pillows, mattresses, and other places in your house. Since dust mites like warm and humid environments, you may find that your dust mite allergy is worse in the spring and summer. Sneezing and runny nose are two common symptoms of a dust mite allergy.
Pet Dander
Pet dander is lightweight, tiny, and has the potential to remain in the air for hours. If you have a pet in your house, you are more prone to a pet dander allergy than someone who does not have any pets at home. Sneezing, itching, coughing, and hives are the symptoms typically associated with pet dander.
How to Manage Environmental Allergies
“There are a variety of medications and treatments for environmental allergies but there are things you can do to prevent symptoms before they occur,” say the allergists at the Becker ENT Center. Here are some great tips that can help you manage environmental allergies and reduce the discomfort they often bring.
At Home
Be sure to keep your windows closed at all times and run the air conditioner. This is particularly important if you are allergic to pollen. Refrain from turning on fans as they can stir up dust. You should also make sure the humidity in your home is below 50% as this can prevent the growth of mold.
If you have pets, keep them outside as much as possible and don’t let them in your bedroom if you do allow them to go inside. In addition, get into the habit of washing your bedding every week, vacuuming regularly, and airing out damp clothes and shoes before you store them.
Outside
If you’re allergic to pollen, limit your time outside on days when pollen counts are especially high. Wear a mask every time you garden, avoid raking leaves or working with hay or mulch if you’re allergic to mold or pollen. Every time you come back in your house, take a shower, wash your hair, and change your clothes. Also, use the dryer to dry your clothes and refrain from hanging them out to dry as mold and pollen may collect in them and worsen your symptoms.
Allergy Treatments
The type of allergy treatment an allergist may prescribe to you depends on your particular allergy, its severity, and your lifestyle. At Becker ENT, we offer a variety of allergy treatments, which are customized to each patient’s unique needs. Some of the most common treatments we prescribe include:
Allergy Shots
The purpose of allergy shots is to decrease your sensitivity to a certain allergy. These shots do require regular visits to our office so they may not be a good option if you lead a busy lifestyle and are unable to connect to them.
Allergy Drops
Allergy drops are taken orally and can help improve your tolerance to allergens and decrease your symptoms. While they aren’t typically as powerful as allergy shots, they are more convenient.
In addition to allergy treatments, we offer allergy testing so you can find out exactly what is causing your symptoms. One or more tests may be performed to come to an accurate diagnosis. We perform prick tests, blood tests, patch tests, and pulmonary function tests.
Schedule an Appointment at Becker ENT
To learn more about how you can treat your environmental allergies, we encourage you to schedule an appointment at Becker ENT. We look forward to helping you find the relief you deserve.
