Hayfever
People the world over are allergic to pollen, in fact over 400 million people in the world suffer with Hay Fever (Allergic Rhinitis) every year.* Hay fever symptoms can manifest throughout the year making the outdoors a miserable place for many people. The time of year and duration of allergy symptoms is determined by the species of plant and the geographic location of the person reacting. Some people may experience allergy symptoms in the spring, while others may have more symptoms in the summer or fall. Though pollen counts are typically higher during the warmer seasons, some plants pollinate year-round.
If you’re suffering with Hay Fever/Seasonal Symptoms, you are not alone. According NIAID (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases), over 35 million Americans suffer with seasonal allergies and many of those people develop Hay Fever type symptoms before the age of 30.
The good news is that most of the bright and fragrant flowering plants don’t cause a lot of allergy symptoms since their pollen is heavier and is insect dependent to carry the pollen from plant to plant. Heavier, visible pollen is usually not the culprit for typical pollen reactions. The plants and trees that cause the bulk of the allergy symptoms are those that are wind pollenated and often have more non-descript looking flowers. The pollens that are carried by the wind (grasses, weeds and trees) are usually very lightweight and almost invisible to the eye but can pack a serious punch on the sinuses.
In general, the most common pollen triggers for each season are:
Springtime: Trees | Summer: Grasses | Fall: Weeds
However, people can (and often do) react to multiple types of pollens which can causes months of Hay Fever symptoms.
Hay Fever (Allergic Rhinitis), causes cold-like symptoms which can include:
Sneezing - Itchy, red or watery eyes - Runny nose - Congestion - Fatigue - Headaches - Sinus Pressure - Skin reactions
Spring
The time and duration of springtime allergy symptoms is determined by the specific type of tree pollen that someone is reacting to. This is why some people may have more issues at certain times of the spring or maybe just for a few weeks during the springtime season. Grass pollens can often overlap at the end of spring and contribute to symptoms.
**The most common tree pollen culprits are:
Alder - Ash - Aspen - Beech - Birch - Box Elder - Cedar - Cottonwood - Elm - Hickory - Mulberry - Oak - Olive - Pecan - Poplar - Willow
Tree pollens cause the most springtime seasonal allergy symptoms. Trees are the earliest pollen producers of the year, releasing most pollen as early as March and as late as end of May, depending on the State. However, some of the Southern States can see tree pollens as early as January.
Trees are typically wind pollinated which can aggravate allergy symptoms, even if they are not on your property, since trees release large amounts of pollen that can travel miles away from the original source.
Summer
Grass Pollens cause the most summer Hay Fever symptoms. Grass pollens typically begin in mid-to late May and go through the end of June to early July.
Tree Pollen season can overlap with grass pollens in the late spring/ early summer. Chenopods, plants from the Chenopodiaceae family, are also starting to flower in the summer season and will continue flowering through the fall, which can also contribute to symptoms in the summer. In addition to the grass pollens, people can also react with skin symptoms (rashes, itching skin or hives) when touching or walking through grass or by simply sitting in the grass.
**The most common grass pollen culprits are:
Bahia - Bermuda - Fescue - Johnson - Kentucky Blue - Orchard - Rye - Sweet Vernal - Timothy
Common Chenopods pollens contributing to symptoms are:
Amaranth - Kochia - Lamb’s Quarters - Pigweed - Russian Thistle - Water Hemp
Fall
Ragweed is the most common pollen allergy in the Fall. A single Ragweed plant can produce up to one billion pollens. Because the pollen is so light, it can travel for hundreds of miles with the wind, so you don’t need to live anywhere close to a ragweed plant to experience symptoms. Ragweed may be the most common, but there are many other weeds that can also cause havoc on the sinuses as well. Chenopod pollens extend through the fall to continue causing issues as they are also predominately wind pollinated. Plus, molds are very high in the fall as well, especially once the trees start turning and the leaves start falling.
**The most common weed and chenopod pollen culprits are:
Burning Bush - Cocklebur - Kochia - Lamb’s Quarters - Mugwort - Pigweed - Ragweed - Russian Thistle - Sagebrush - Tumbleweed
Since many of the pollens overlap as the seasons converge, it can make reactions almost constant for people that are allergic or sensitive to multiple types of pollens. Also, when the pollen counts are are high, other common, year-round allergy triggers such as mold, dust, dust mites, animal dander or cockroaches may be exacerbated for some individuals. This can happen because more burden is placed on an already stressed system during high pollen times of the year.
Did you know that the majority of plants, trees and shrubs planted in urban areas are male? Male plants produce the pollen that cause the majority of seasonal allergy symptoms. Homeowners and developers select the male plants because they are low maintenance and don’t produce seedpods or fruits so they don’t leave a mess in the yards or surrounding areas. The most pollen producing plants are being planted simply because they don’t make a mess. They are being planted around most business developments, schools, hospitals as well as suburban housing developments. With more urban development happening and more male pollen producing plants being planted, allergy symptoms will continue to rise.
Compounding the pollen issue is what is happening to the environment with increased greenhouse gases and climate change contributing to an increase in pollen production.
Climate Change
Greenhouse gases are having a big impact on the planet and contributing to higher pollen concentrations and longer pollen seasons, which is causing more and more people to suffer with seasonal symptoms.
What scientist are seeing is that climate change is leading to shifts in precipitation patterns, more frost-free days, warmer seasonal air temperatures, and more carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere.
***These changes can affect:
when the pollen season starts and ends and how long it lasts each year
how much pollen plants create and how much stays in the air
how pollen affects our health (an increase in the “allergenicity” of pollen)
how much pollen we’re exposed to
our risk of experiencing more allergy symptoms
The good news, AAT has protocols for addressing seasonal symptoms and climate change modifications to plants and pollens, both of which cause unwanted symptoms.
Did you Know:
In the United States Hay Fever affects between 10-30% of adults and up to 40% of children, making it the fifth most common chronic disease *
Citations: * worldallergy.org | ** aafa.org | *** cdc.govAt Striving for Health we understand that every person is unique, which means their particular treatment needs will also differ. No one treatment is a good fit for everyone. We work with our clients to customize the best approach to address their specific needs.
We offer several different treatment options to address Seasonal Allergy symptoms:
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