While most of us can’t wait to get outdoors after a long winter, for almost 35 million Americans, spring and summer bring a host of troubling symptoms known as hay fever (allergic rhinitis). Allergies are over-reactions by your immune system to trigger substances called allergens.

The seasonal culprits that drive us indoors just as the weather is turning nice? Primarily airborne pollens and molds, which set off a chain of reactions in your body: sneezing; sinus drip; watery eyes; and an itchy mouth, throat and eyes.

But you can survive the season without banishing yourself to the family room with a few simple weather-related strategies as well as information on the best treatments for your symptoms.


Who doesn’t love a green lawn adorned with beds of plants and flowers? Trees, grasses, even ornamental weeds can harbor high pollen counts, as can flowers— although you may be surprised to learn that the pollen from brightly colored bloomers, such as roses, aren’t typically allergy triggers. Trees and shrubs that contribute to high pollen counts in the spring include oak, cedar, hickory, maple, and walnut trees, as well as Bermuda, sweet vernal, and some blue grasses.

Ragweed is responsible for most late summer and fall hay fever, as is sagebrush and tumbleweed out west. Pollen season starts and ends at different times in different places, but it peaks in April through mid-July throughout the U.S.

Unlike pollens, molds have no season, although they usually peak in July in warmer states, and in October in colder ones. Molds are more affected by wind, rain, and temperature changes. If you’re a germophobe, beware! Molds are everywhere outdoors, in rotting trees, wood, soil, and plants. They grow indoors in attics, basements, your refrigerator, trash cans, and bathrooms.

Rainy, cloudy days can be a bummer, but these are also the days when allergy sufferers are least likely to have symptoms triggered by pollen or mold. Hot, dry, and windy days often are accompanied by the highest mold and pollen counts. Log on to reports from the National Allergy Bureau. You can also sign up for email alerts there that let you know when you might be better off staying inside for the day.


Your health care provider can also recommend several treatments for soothing your particular symptoms, including over-the-counter antihistamines, nosesprays, decongestants and prescription medications. Antihistamines, which can relieve sneezing, itching, and runny nose, are best taken on a preventive basis. Although antihistamines can give you dry mouth and make you sleepy, non-drowsy formulations are available.

Antihistamines in combination with decongestants are considered the most effective OTC remedies for seasonal allergies. A recent study published in the Archives of Otolaryngolgy—Head & Neck Surgery found no significant difference in effectiveness between OTC decongestants and prescription drugs in relieving sneezing and nasal congestion from hay fever.

Don’t use OTC decongestant nasal sprays for more than three days, though; after that, you could experience rebound, which makes your nose even more stuffy.

Also, you can become dependent on these products. For a long-term solution, consider a prescription drug. Tell your health care provider if you suspect you’re developing a sinus or ear infection, if your allergies are complicated by headaches, and if you develop wheezing or problems breathing. As many as 20 million Americans have asthma—and one-in-five have an allergic form.

If your symptoms persist for months, talk with an allergist about allergy shots (immunotherapy), which can boost your immunity to particular triggers and reduce your need for medications.

By following local pollen alerts and taking preventative measures, such as staying indoors as much as possible on high pollen days, keeping your house and yard as clean and tidy as possible, and by taking medication to stop the symptoms before they start, you can have a sneeze-free spring and summer!

New allergy research has experts wondering whether women who suffer chronic disorders like asthma and migraine headaches may actually be allergic to hormones that regulate their menstrual cycles.

Posing the question in the American Journal of Reproductive Immunology, researchers noted that women with these ongoing complaints had higher levels of the IgE antibodies against progesterone and estrogen. An increase in IgE antibodies is typically associated with allergic response.

If this cause and effect turn out to be related, say researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, it could explain why some women undergo so many health changes with their periods, including problems with premenstrual asthma, menstrual migraines, interstitial cystitis, and fibromyalgia. During the study, researchers noted that symptoms could be diminished by very low concentrations of progesterone.

About the Author: Debra Hobbins, MSN, APRN, is a nurse practitioner at Discovery House/Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City, Utah.