mens health > allergies > seasonal allergy

Seasonal Allergy

Ahhh springtime ... the season of love ... the harbinger of many good things, is a treacherous time for patients with seasonal allergies.

While others are carefree, strolling through fields of daffodils, seasonal allergy sufferers are strolling through the pharmacy looking for allergy medication to obtain relief from sneezing and itchy eyes.

Plants reproduce sexually by spreading pollen from one plant species to another, and as callous as it may sound, this is a flower's sole purpose. Some plants have beautiful, scented flowers that attract insects that will spread the pollen around as they move from flower to flower. Other plants produce ugly, unscented flowers that no self-respecting insect would bother with ... hence, these plants rely on the wind to move the pollen around. As the pollen bursts from the plants and out into the air, it is inhaled by humans and animals. If you are one of the 40 million Americans who have the genetic tendency to be allergic, then this pollen is not merely dust that is inhaled and exhaled, it is the cause of major illness.

When Does the "Season" Start?

In the temperate zones of the United States, trees are the primary pollen producers from early spring to late spring. The farther south you live, the earlier the allergy season begins. For example, the tree-pollinating season in Florida is in January. In New York it begins in mid March. Grass pollen allergy is caused by weed-like grasses or cultivated grass that is allowed to flower.

If you are allergic to grass pollen, sometimes sap from cut grass becomes airborne and then is inhaled, provoking symptoms. Again, depending where you live, grass allergy can begin in April in the southern parts of the United States, or in early June in northern areas. By July, pollen allergies generally subside. But in some areas of the United States, summer may be a time for airborne mold spores. In order to reproduce, certain molds or funguses send out mold spores that can cause allergic reactions. By late summer, ragweed pollen takes flight, and for those patients allergic to ragweed, the troubles start all over again. Frost finally puts an end to the pollen and outdoor mold season until the next spring, when it starts all over again.

Drew Voight