Summertime is Here! Unfortunately, So Are Allergens

The rainy winter season seems like a distant dream from long ago with the high summer temperatures now blanketing Southern California. Yet, many Angelenos are still feeling the impact of our wettest-ever back-to-back winter seasons with the proliferation of wildflowers and plants producing billions of tiny pollens that can trigger allergy symptoms.

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, seasonal allergic rhinitis, commonly referred to as hay fever, affects millions of people worldwide. Symptoms include sneezing, stuffiness, a runny nose and itchiness in your nose, the roof of your mouth, throat, eyes, or ears. Hay fever can affect your quality of life and can lead to sinus infections, can disrupt your sleep and affect your ability to learn at school or be productive at work.

When is Hay Fever Season?

Typically, there are three hay fever seasons when pollens are prominent which can vary throughout different climates.

• Trees generally pollinate in the spring. Birch, cedar, cottonwood and pine are big allergy triggers.
• Grass releases its pollen in the summer. Timothy and Johnson, and Rye grasses are examples of allergens in this category.
• Weeds cause hay fever in the fall. Ragweed is the biggest offender as it can grow in nearly every environment.

How Can I Reduce My Hay Fever Symptoms?

The best way to reduce symptoms is to avoid your allergy triggers.

• Limit outdoor activities during days with high pollen counts.
• Keep windows closed (at home or in the car) to keep pollens out.
• Take a shower after coming indoors. Otherwise, pollen in your hair may bother you all night.

Hay fever symptoms will generally end as soon as exposure to the allergen ends.

How Can I Treat or Eliminate My Symptoms?

If your seasonal symptoms are making you miserable, the allergy and immunology experts at USC Arcadia Hospital can help. Our physicians have the training, background, and experience to determine which allergens, if any, are causing your symptoms. This information can form the basis of a treatment plan to help you feel better. Your physician will talk to you about how to avoid pollens as well as medications for temporary relief. They may even recommend allergy immunotherapy, commonly known as allergy shots, which can help your immune system become more resistant to specific allergens and lessen your symptoms as well as the need for medications.

To find a USC Arcadia Hospital allergy specialist who is right for you, call our free physician referral center for a recommendation at 888.388.2838. To learn more, go to our website at www.uscarcadiahospital.org.