You know those typical cold symptoms? Sneezing, runny noses, fevers, that kind of thing. Turns out, the majority of these symptoms aren’t caused by the cold virus itself. Rather, these symptoms are a by-product of your immune response. Funny though it may sound, a fever is just one tool in your body’s toolbox, designed to safeguard you from viruses and bacteria.
Your immune system is really great! It keeps you healthy when you would otherwise be overrun by germs. But sometimes, your immune system gets overwhelmed and is unable to get everything correct. In some cases, your immune system mistakes something harmless for a danger and attacks it with all those antibodies.
People can be allergic to all kinds of things: dust, animals, nuts, root beer, you name it. Symptoms generally related to a cold may, in fact, be the consequence of environmental allergens. Environmental allergies are usually breathed in, they’re part of your environment (hence the name), making them extra challenging to prevent. Over time, this can cause havoc with your sinuses (not to mention your peace of mind).
Symptoms of seasonal allergies
When your immune system recognizes something as a threat, an allergic reaction happens. Whether that’s mold, pollen, or cat dander, your immune system will then fire up its defenses. This will generate some of those common symptoms for most individuals. The most common include the following:
- Sneezing
- An itchy nose
- Postnasal drip
- Eyes that are itchy or red or watery
- Dark circles under your eyes
- Coughing and wheezing
- Coughing
- Stuffy nose
- Feeling tired all the time
- Hives
As you can see, the symptoms can be substantial. These symptoms can also differ substantially from individual to individual. One person might begin coughing when they are near a cat, another may begin to sneeze. Having said that, some of these symptoms are definitely more prevalent than others, and sneezing is a well-known allergy symptom for a reason!
Allergy symptom causes
Environmental allergies can be triggered by a wide variety of substances, medical professionals tend to call them “allergens”. Commonplace allergens include the following:
- Dust: Most individuals would be rather surprised to know how much dust is in the majority of homes. Allergic reactions can be caused either by this dust itself or by other allergens that the dust might carry. That’s why it’s important for you to keep your house as free of dust as you can.
- Pet dander: It isn’t generally the fur on your dog or cat that causes your allergic reactions: it’s their dander. Particularly because the dander can very easily get into the air. If you’re allergic, pet dander can lead to sniffing, sneezing, and all those other symptoms, as well.
- Pollen: This is a substantial culprit of seasonal allergies. Trees, grasses, and flowers all discharge these microspores on a seasonal basis. They’re perfectly harmless unless you’re allergic to them. The majority of pollens only go a short distance and stay pretty local. However, some pollens can travel long distances on air currents. So even if there’s nothing green near you, you might still have a pollen allergy reaction.
- Dust mites: Dust mites are little bugs that feast on dust. They’re usually totally harmless. But when they cause allergic reactions, it means you can find yourself with itchy eyes or a runny nose, or even wheezing.
These are only a couple of the environmental allergens you may encounter. Lots of these categories can break down even further (for instance, if you have an allergy to pine pollen, that doesn’t automatically mean you would have an allergy to oak trees.).
How do I know if I have allergies?
So, you might have an idea about what you’re allergic to. But the only way to be sure is to get examined by your doctor. An allergy diagnosis can be achieved in a couple of ways. Here are the two most prevalent:
- Pin prick test: Your skin will be lightly pricked with suspected allergens and your doctor will watch to see if there’s a reaction. Generally, this method is the most reliable. It can produce some itching, but that’s an ordinary part of the test.
- Blood testing: Your doctor will look for certain markers in your blood that indicate an allergic response.
You will always be required to go see your doctor for an official diagnosis. And you will have the comfort of knowing exactly what you’re allergic to.
How to treat allergies
Allergic reactions, unfortunately, have no cure. But there are three standard approaches to treating them.
Prevention
It’s possible for you to avoid the onset of allergy symptoms by minimizing your exposure to allergen triggers. Inside, this means keeping the air clean, keeping mold under control, and vacuuming often (particularly if pet dander is a problem). Your pets need to be brushed frequently and don’t hang your clothes out to dry.
When you’re going outdoors, determine the pollen count, and don’t be afraid to wear a mask if necessary. Pollen counts are frequently lowest in the early morning and late evening, so plan your adventures around those times.
Short-term treatment
Treating symptoms can in some cases be achieved by using short-term medications, such as antihistamines. Hopefully, these medications will offer some relief when symptoms flare up.
It’s never a good idea to stay on these medications over long periods of time like months or years and should only be used to get you through a day or a week.
Long-term treatment
Immunotherapy is a long-term treatment solution that frequently proves to be rather successful. Your doctor will expose you to a tiny amount of the specific allergen that triggers you.
It isn’t enough to cause a reaction. But your immune system will still be able to begin to get Accustomed to managing that allergen. The amount of allergen will gradually increase with each following injection. Over time, this strategy can successfully desensitize your immune system.
It might take some months to achieve positive results with this treatment. But you can be free of symptoms for many years once your immune system is desensitized to that allergen. Immunotherapy is obtainable in the form of allergy shots, liquid drops, or tablets.
Allergies don’t need to ruin your life
If you deal with environmental allergies, there are probably some times of the year when you find yourself with a “cold” that just won’t clear up. Guess what? It’s not a cold! Environmental allergies can be especially difficult because they’re so prevalent that they’re difficult to escape.
But just because you experience environmental allergies doesn’t mean you have to be suffering. After all, recurring allergy symptoms can lead to sinus infections or repeated sinus infections. The best way to avoid all that is to make sure you’re managing your allergy symptoms the best you can.
Need some assistance with your environmental allergies? Schedule an appointment with us and learn about your options.