Having seasonal allergies can be one of spring’s biggest and most frustrating mysteries. What causes them exactly?
Pollen is one of the most common seasonal allergens, but it is possible to have an allergic reaction to some types of pollen and not to others.
It is beneficial to pinpoint when your allergy symptoms begin so you can identify the actual cause.
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Dr. Tania Elliott, a board-certified allergist, spoke to Yahoo Life about some simple steps to identifying your allergies and recognizing them.
Keep Track Of Your Symptoms
If you have allergy symptoms, you’ll need to do some allergy detective work and keep a calendar close at hand.
Elliott says you are most likely allergic to tree pollen if your symptoms begin in March and last until May.
Indoor allergies can inevitably cause symptoms all year round. You can still gain valuable insight if you keep track of your symptoms when they flare.
Elliott explains, “If you wake up every morning with congestion and runny nose, you may have a dust mite allergy because dust mites live in your bedding and your mattress.”
Consult With A Board-Certified Allergist
Elliott advises meeting with an allergist to discuss your symptoms and pinpoint triggers.
It may help your doctor figure out what allergen is causing your itching and sneezing if you keep a diary of when they occurred, where you were, and what you were exposed to.
Elliott says, “Let that doctor guide you and ask a couple of additional questions so that they can narrow in on exactly what it is that you’re likely allergic to.”
Take An Allergy Test
A skin test may also be helpful, which Elliott says is the “most sensitive test,” indicating what you are allergic to the most.
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Elliott says, “If you just go and get a test and come back allergic to many things, it doesn’t help unless your symptoms correlate.”
When you know what you are allergic to, Elliott says the first step is to avoid your allergy triggers.
Elliott says, “The second line of treatment. If your symptoms are frequently occurring, is to be on allergy medicine.”
Elliott says nasal steroids effectively reduce inflammation in the nasal passages, alleviate a throbbing cough, and preserve the sinus cavities.
However, Elliot reports that most allergy medications work best if taken early and consistently – before symptoms occur.