Summer is here! The birds are chirping, the bugs are buzzing and the flowers are blooming. While many of us associate seasonal allergies with spring, they are actually just as much of a problem during the summer months.
Common Summer Allergy Symptoms
Common symptoms of seasonal allergies include nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes and throat, watery eyes and postnasal drip. In order to find relief, your Houston allergy doctor will first need to determine what you are allergic to through a series of allergy tests.
Allergy Triggers
Many of the same allergy triggers from spring are responsible for your headache and stuffy nose in the summer.
Pollen
he #1 cause of allergy symptoms is pollen. While tree pollen has usually come and gone by the end of spring, grasses and weeds are going strong. There are a wide variety of weeds and grasses, the most common include:
Weeds
- Ragweed
- Cockleweed
- Pigweed
- Russian thistle
- Sagebrush
- Tumbleweed
Grasses
- Bermuda
- Blue grasses
- Orchard
- Red top
- Sweet vernal
- Timothy
Insects
Insects are synonymous with summer. The most serious allergic reactions occur from the sting/bite of the following: yellow jackets, honeybees, paper wasps, hornets and fire ants.
While the insect stings themselves can cause mild symptoms like swelling or itching, those who are allergic can experience a severe reaction called anaphylaxis. This potentially fatal reaction can cause swelling in the throat and breathing difficulties.
Symptoms may develop within seconds of exposure and include abdominal pain, dizziness, nausea, rapid pulse, heart palpitations, inflammation of the face and eyes and mental confusion.
Mold
Know what else besides you loves the warm air of summer? Mold!
Mold and the toxins it secretes are what cause allergic reactions. Common symptoms are headaches, feelings of nausea and asthma complications.
Stachybotrys is a black, sticky, slimy fungus that is often found in homes and older office buildings. Since it needs water to grow it is found around water pipes, in the walls around plumbing or near areas moistened by a leaky roof.
Summer allergies are treated like other season allergies – with avoidance, medication or immunotherapy.
To find out more about the best treatments for your summer allergies, contact your Houston allergy doctor today.
