Millions of Americans suffer from nasal allergies, commonly known as hay fever. If you suffer from nasal allergies, Dr. Marc Dean can help determine the substances that are causing your discomfort and will work to develop a management plan that will help make life more enjoyable.
Nasal allergy is an inflammatory reaction to house dust mites, mold, animal hair, and pollens.
What Are Some Common Allergens?
Many common substances can be allergens. Pollens, food, mold, dust, feathers, animal dander, drugs such as penicillin, and airborne pollutants commonly cause many to suffer allergic reactions.
Pollens
Early springtime allergic rhinitis is most often caused by pollens of trees such as elm, maple, birch, poplar, beech, ash, oak, walnut, sycamore, cypress, hickory, pecan, cottonwood, and alder. Flowering plants rarely cause allergy symptoms. Often fragrant flowers are blamed for the uncomfortable symptoms, yet they are rarely the cause; their pollens are too heavy to be airborne. Late springtime pollens come from grasses like timothy, orchard, red top, sweet vernal, Bermuda, Johnson, and some bluegrasses. One of the major causes of allergic rhinitis in the United States is ragweed pollen. It begins pollinating early to mid-autumn.
Household allergens
Certain allergens are present all year long. These include house dust mites, pet dander, and molds. Symptoms caused by these allergens often worsen in the winter when the house is closed up, due to poor air ventilation.
Mold
Mold spores also cause allergy problems. Molds are present all year long and grow both outdoors and indoors. Dead leaves and farm areas are common sources for outdoor molds. Indoor plants, old books, bathrooms, and damp areas are common sources of indoor mold growth.
