Allergy season – one of the most common phrases that is surely scary for people suffering from weather allergies.
For many individuals, the term weather allergy itself is surprising as connecting allergies with weather is an alien concept. But seasonal allergies are quite common in the people of America, as millions suffer from them.
What are the Symptoms of Weather Allergy?
Are you suffering from itchy eyes, runny or stuffy nose, coughing and continuous sneezing? You are likely suffering from a weather allergy, more commonly known as hay fever. An allergic reaction happens when your body reacts to an allergen that it finds threatening or foreign. Weather allergy is a situation where the allergens are the changing weather. So, whenever you feel the climate changing, you can see your body reacting to it.
Here are the symptoms of weather allergies:
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Coughing
- Fatigue
- Dry and scaly skin
- Itchy and watery eyes
- Itchy skin
- Sneezing
- Ear congestion
- Postnasal drainage
- Wheezing
What to do to Relieve Yourself from the Weather Allergies?
While it is impossible to avoid the weather that can trigger your allergic reactions, all you can do to your best ability is understand what triggers your reaction and limit your exposure to enjoy your life to the fullest. Here are some of the ways in which you can relieve yourself from the pain, congestion and inflammation felt when you suffer from sudden weather allergy symptoms:
1. Over-the-counter Medications
You can take over-the-counter medications to treat your seasonal allergies. Hay fever medicines includes nasal sprays, antihistamines and decongestants to manage your symptoms of weather allergies. Nasal sprays treat an itchy and runny nose. While antihistamines block chemicals from entering your immune system that causes allergic reactions. Skin creams are recommended to treat rashes on your skin due to allergies.
And for cough and cold products, such as decongestant syrups or throat lozenges, can provide relief from additional respiratory symptoms.
2. Avoid Seasonal Allergens
Apart from taking proper medications, you can also take steps to avoid your seasonal allergens causing allergic reactions. For example, use a HEPA filter to cool the home. Avoid turning on the ceiling fan. Keep an on the weather forecast to ensure you avoid leaving indoors during high pollen counts. Moreover, when hay fever is on the rise, limit your outdoor times, keep the windows shut and if you leave for outdoors, consider wearing a face mask.
3. Consult Your Doctor
Lastly, if you feel like you are unable to control your symptoms or are failing to reduce the effects of weather allergies and it’s disrupting your daily routine, it’s time to consult an allergist for proper diagnosis and further treatment.
How does the Weather Affect Your Seasonal Allergies?
The main reason behind allergic reactions due to the changing weather is inflammation. The changing weather can cause inflammation in various body tissues. For example, many people become congested during humid or rainy weather and develop headaches. This is because the nerve endings in the nasal passage overreact to the atmospheric pressure, causing swelling in the blood vessels. It leads to runny nose, congestion, headaches and pain in the sinuses and nasal passage.
Not just humid or rainy days, every weather and temperature change comes with barometric pressure. In some people, these pressure changes produce swollen and inflamed blood vessels, mostly affecting people whose immune systems cannot correctly react to the barometric pressure change. And when you are exposed to the triggering elements of weather change, your body produces allergic symptoms to protect your body.
What Affects Your Seasonal Weather Allergies?
Weather-related allergies are also known as seasonal allergies. You get seasonal weather allergies when different seasons act as allergens and trigger your immune system, leading to allergic reactions.
And if at all you have experienced that your allergies flare up while you are travelling make sure to start taking the medication prior to you leave to avoid the symptoms.
Here’s what can affect your seasonal weather allergies:
1. Dry, Windy Days
Pollen allergy is one of the most common allergies that spike up during dry and windy days. Pollens are the fine powder produced by weeds, grasses, trees and flowers to fertilize other plants. Some people’s immune system reacts adversely to these pollens, causing allergic reactions.
Wind plays a crucial part in causing allergic symptoms. It transports the pollens since they are lightweight, so it’s easier for the dry wind to carry them from one place to another. So, when you breathe the pollen in a large amount, it can cause your pollen allergy to spike up.
Another source of causing weather symptoms during dry and windy days is mold. Fungi and molds are extremely common outdoors. So, wind can easily pick up their seeds or spores and spread them around.
2. Humid, Rainy Days
As discussed above, some molds are carried by dry wind, but some molds spread through humidity by traveling through dew or fog. However, humid days are better for people with pollen allergies as the pollen gets heavier and cannot travel through the air, so you cannot breathe them.
3. Cold Temperature Days
Cold temperatures cause a different type of allergic reaction called cold urticaria. Some people get triggered when their skin is exposed to cold temperatures. Symptoms of weather allergies from cold temperatures include:
- Itchy and red skin
- Swollen throat and lips
- Hives
- Swollen skin
- Dizziness
People suffering from this condition usually outgrow it or stay with it for a lifetime. For about 50% of the population suffering from cold urticaria usually have it resolved within five years by treating it with antihistamines.
Author Bio:
Krishma Patel is the Co-founder and the Superintendent Pharmacist at MedsNow, an onlinepharmacy in the UK that provides health and wellness products and treatments along with free online consultations. She is passionate about showcasing the integral function community pharmacies can play in supporting the healthcare system and the NHS by providing patients with high quality, safe and discreet access to healthcare at their convenience. Along with being the co-founder of MedsNow, Krishma is also the Director and the Superintendent Pharmacist of Enimed Ltd., an independent pharmacy group comprising 32 branches.
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