Top 4 Common Spring Allergies... and How to Minimize Them

Village Green Nutrition Team on 04/28/2021

woman with common spring allergies blows her nose outdoors

Many people enjoy spring for the warm weather and fresh, blooming flowers, while many others experience common spring allergies and would rather stay indoors. It’s essential for those who suffer to understand the causes and some solutions that may help them avoid respiratory issues.

The spring air brings its misery because of a condition known as allergic rhinitis, or hay fever. This is an inflammation of the mucous membranes that causes itchy eyes, sneezing and a runny nose, among other issues. Rhinitis may originate from a cold or from environmental factors, but for those who suffer from it mainly in the spring, it is likely due to seasonal allergies.

Spring’s new blooms and growth send excess pollen into the air. Pollen inhalation and several other irritants in nature during the spring trigger these allergies in many people. This guide will outline the top four common spring allergies, symptoms, and ways to get relief.

Spring Allergy Symptoms

Understanding your symptoms is the first step in finding a relief solution. Spring allergy symptoms typically involve respiratory issues, including these common ones:

Sneezing
Itchy sinuses, throat, or ear canals
Runny nose
Stuffy nose
Postnasal drainage
Watery and itchy eyes
Ear congestion

These symptoms may occur when the immune system identifies a normally harmless airborne substance, such as pollen, as dangerous. It responds by releasing histamines and other chemicals into the bloodstream, which can lead to the above reactions. Those who are experiencing any of these should seek a professional medical diagnosis to determine if seasonal allergies are the cause.

Most Common Spring Allergies

Allergies can occur due to several common allergens that pop up during the spring season. Any of them can trigger an immune response and allergy symptoms. Some of the most common include:

1. Tree Pollen

Tree pollen is the No. 1 cause of spring allergies because dormant trees come back to life in the spring and begin releasing pollen. Some of the most common tree pollen culprits include birch, cedar, and hickory, among many others. Sometimes the pollen from these trees can even cross-react, making allergies worse. Note the different types of trees in your area, and reduce your time spent around ones that could trigger your sinuses.

2. Grass Pollen

Several different kinds of grass found in lawns, fields, and gardens can cause problems, including timothy grass, Bermuda grass and Kentucky bluegrass. Timothy grass, found in nearly every state in the U.S., produces large amounts of allergenic pollen every spring. Bermuda grass grows in most states in the U.S., particularly in the South. It produces potent allergenic pollen. Kentucky bluegrass is found mainly in the northern states and produces significant amounts of pollen, as well.

Those who enjoy spending time outdoors to take walks, play sports, or participate in other recreational activities might want to research their area. The types of grasses present could be part of a severe allergy zone that is best avoided.

3. Mold

Mold is a fungus that thrives in damp indoor and outdoor environments such as leaf piles, basements, bathrooms and rotten logs. It is present year-round and may cause cumulative issues with other spring allergies. Numerous kinds of mold can cause reactions. Mold spores are difficult to see and travel easily through the air.

4. Dust Mites

Dust mite allergies are also present all year round, but for those with other common spring allergies, like with mold, the cumulative load may make your symptoms worse. The waste that dust mites leave behind is a common indoor allergen. The waste can circulate through the air, and the dust mites themselves exist around the house, including in furniture, bedding, stuffed toys, and carpets. Around 20 million Americans suffer from dust mite allergies.

Those who are experiencing allergy symptoms should check with a medical expert to determine the exact cause. Your environment, habits, and location all play crucial roles, so be aware of these as you work to determine which one (or more) of these allergens might be causing your sinus problems.

Allergy Tips and Remedies

A few simple methods can lessen allergy flare-ups caused by tree pollen, grass pollen, mold or dust mites. These are good practices anyway, and they might just have you breathing easier. Try a few of these tips to help you enjoy the spring season.

1. Spring Cleaning

Dusting, vacuuming, mopping, washing, and establishing a regular cleaning routine are important, particularly during the spring season. A clean house is less likely to harbor allergens, keeping you and your family safer, more comfortable and allergy-free.

2. Take Note of the Pollen Count

Some days have a higher count than others. Check the pollen count and align your schedule, if possible, so you are outside less on high-pollen days. Have a nice picnic in the park when the pollen count is low!

3. Home Improvements

Purchase a HEPA filter for your AC unit, keep your doors and windows closed, and consider getting a good dehumidifier. These simple home improvements can make the environment in the house less hospitable for unwanted allergens.

4. Practice Good Habits

Wash your clothes and shower after exposure to pollen, and avoid yard work or exercising outside on days when pollen counts are exceptionally high. Rinsing nasal passages is a good practice to help remove pollen. Surgical masks may also be helpful to reduce symptoms.

These tips basically come down to finding ways to reduce the allergens around you. Thinking in those terms can go a long way toward finding relief.

The Role of Supplements

Finding natural options is a crucial tenet of a modern approach to wellness. There are many medicines designed to help with allergies, but often they don’t work, or the body just gets used to them. Natural remedies and supplements can often be more effective, with fewer side effects. Here are some supplements to try.

Allergy Support Plus

This supplement offers synergistic respiratory support through a comprehensive formula with some powerful ingredients, including vitamin C, quercetin, nettle leaf extract, bromelain, turmeric and other synergistic nutrients.

Aller-Calm

Aller-Calm is a comprehensive liquid herbal formula that contains nettles, eyebright, yerba santa, turmeric, lobelia and ambrosia. These herbs have antihistamine and decongestant properties and provide powerful sinus and upper respiratory support. Aller-Calm can be started a couple of weeks leading up to allergy season and also be used more frequently during acute discomfort..

Allercide

Allercide is a vitamin and herb-enriched antihistamine that can help your body overcome allergies by building up its natural defense system. It contains ingredients such as vitamin C and stinging nettle, which dry up nasal passages, as well as other natural ingredients to steady histamine production.

These tips and remedies can offer effective upper respiratory support for anyone suffering from allergies during hay fever season, as well as at other times of the year. Adding in a simple daily supplement can also help reduce allergy symptoms and boost your overall health and wellness, beyond allergy issues. To fully understand your personal health situation, however, it’s always best to talk with a medical expert to determine the actual cause and best form of relief.

Consult With Wellness Experts to Tame Your Allergies

Those tired of letting their allergies make them miserable can reach out to Village Green Apothecary. Our team includes licensed nutritionists, nutrition educators, naturopathic doctors and herbalists who are happy to work with you to help find the proper remedy for your situaiton.

Contact Village Green Apothecary today to learn more about practical solutions for common spring allergies or discuss any other supplementation needs.

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