The smell of pumpkin spice and football tailgate food: fall is definitely in the air.
Unfortunately, so is ragweed, the biggest allergy trigger of the season.
Fall allergy triggers are different than the blooms of spring and summer.
Doctor Bridge Loehn with Ent and Allergy Clinic said they can be just as brutal.
“Right now, the fall allergens are terrible,” Loehn said. “Weed season is in bloom right now with ragweed and all of the pollens that have been really high in the air.”
If you are allergic to ragweed, you’re all too familiar with the snotty symptoms.
Loehn said over-the-counter daily allergy medications like Zyrtec or Allegra can help manage the symptoms.
It’s also important to clear nasal passages of the allergens with a saline rinse.
“Rinse the pollens out of the nose, especially when you are in times when the allergy load is very high and you know you’re around a lot of weeds, pollens, or allergies,” she said. “It’s really good to rinse out the nose with a saline rinse.”
Uncontrolled allergies oftentimes get work before they get better.
“When allergies affect the nasal passages, it causes the nasal lining to swell and when the nasal lining swells, the sinuses and the nasal cavity are not allowed to drain the way they are supposed to,” Loehn said. “When they can’t drain, everything gets stopped up.”
The heat in your home could be a factor as well, so make sure air filters are clean. Indoor mold and dust can set off a new round of allergic reactions.
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