Nasal Allergy Triggers—Pollen, Mold, Pets,and Dust Mites

Something in the air is making you sneeze—you and 40 million other Americans who live with nasal allergies. The best way to treat and control your nasal allergy symptoms is to find out what's triggering them and to stay away from the allergen if at all possible. The air you breathe is full of tiny particles that can cause nasal allergy symptoms if you have nasal allergies. These particles are sometimes called allergy triggers.

The Seasonal Effect on Nasal Allergy Symptoms

There is no one season that is worse for every person with nasal allergies. It really depends on what substances trigger nasal allergies. In spring, trees pollinate, sending millions of tree pollen grains into the air. Summertime is the weed and grass pollen season. And, in fall, people may develop a ragweed allergy or a mold allergy.

Winter may end the allergy season for some, but for others who experience year-round nasal allergies, the cold weather does not bring relief. The most common indoor nasal allergens are:

• Dust
• Indoor molds
• Cockroach droppings
• Animal dander

If you're one of the many people who have year-round nasal allergy symptoms, it's probably because your allergy triggers are present regardless of the season.

Nasal Allergy Symptoms May Vary From Day to Day

Weather conditions make a difference in the amount of pollen and mold spores that are airborne at any one time. On hot, dry, windy summer days, pollen and mold particles are plentiful, resulting in more severe nasal allergy symptoms in people who are sensitive to those triggers. If you have seasonal nasal allergies, you'll probably feel better on rainy, cloudy, still days when pollen doesn't move around as much.

Pollen Allergy: Pollen-Bearing Plants to Avoid if You Can

Unfortunately, there are many factors that contribute to nasal allergies. Pollens can travel up to 2 miles high and as far as 400 miles, but some pollens are more easily carried off in the air than others. Some of the weeds that can trigger nasal allergy symptoms are ragweed, sagebrush, pigweed, Russian thistle, and cocklebur. Particular varieties of trees that might trigger nasal allergy symptoms include oak, elm, birch, ash, hickory, poplar, sycamore, maple, cypress, walnut, and western red cedar. You'll want to keep off the grass, especially if it's timothy,Bermuda orchard, red top, and sweet vernal. If you can't recognize these prime offenders by sight, it's best to stay indoors in high pollen season so that you can avoid all of your allergy triggers.

Mold Allergy: Watch Out for Fungus and Molds

Molds, plants in the fungus family, grow where it's dark and moist. They may find a home on rotting logs, in piles of fallen leaves or compost piles, and on certain grasses, weeds, and grains. They even grow inside your house. Damp basements are perfect breeding grounds for mold spores, which are the culprits that may cause some nasal allergies. Mold also grows in shower stalls, refrigerators, houseplants, or air conditioners.

Dust Mite Allergy: The Bugs You Can't See

Dust mites are microscopic insects that live in house dust, under mattresses, and deep down in carpeting. The droppings of these tiny mites cause nasal allergies. Dust mites feed on dead human skin scales and inhaling their waste products can trigger a runny nose and sneezing. Waste products of cockroaches can also cause nasal allergies to flare.

Animal Allergens: Dog and Cat Allergies

As much as you may love your dog or your cat, your pet could be making you sick. What causes the problem is animal dander (tiny particles animals shed), the saliva on fur that your pet has licked and shed, and airborne particles of dried pet urine. It may take you a while to get rid of your cat or dog allergies, even if you get rid of your pet. For example, it takes at least 20 weeks after removing a cat from your home before the allergen levels drop to equal that of a house that's never had a cat in it.

The best way to prevent a flare up of nasal allergy symptoms is to stay away from the substance that triggers a reaction. But it's not realistic to think you can keep pollen and other airborne allergens out of your life completely. Do what you can to avoid the things that trigger your nasal allergy symptoms, take your nasal allergy medication, and talk to your doctor on a regular basis so that he or she can monitor your progress.

Maybe it's time you asked your doctor about RHINOCORT AQUA, a prescription nasal spray that offers relief. RHINOCORT AQUA has a gentle, water-based solution that is scent-free and alcohol-free and has been shown to be effective with just 1 spray per nostril^* once daily. It may help provide effective, same-day relief^** from nasal allergy symptoms, whether you have them seasonally or all year long.

Be sure to check out other pages on this Web site that might be useful for your particular allergy situation.

^*Maximum benefit may not be achieved until approximately 2 weeks after intiation of treatment. Effectiveness depends on regular use.

^**Based on treatment in the morning. Your nasal symptoms may begin to improve within 10 hours.