Apr 18, 2025
Brandy Straface with UHC ENT & Audiology answers questions concerning springtime allergies.
1). IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR THAT WE DIRECT OUR ATTENTION TO THE CULPRIT OF SPRINGTIME ALLERGIES, POLLEN. WHERE DOES POLLEN COME FROM?
While Spring is a beautiful time of year, it is also when we experience springtime allergies. Plants, trees, and grasses release pollen, which are grains or tiny seeds. These seeds can be carried by the wind and can cause many of the common allergy symptoms such as sniffling or sneezing, if you are exposed to pollen.
2). HOW DOES POLLEN MAKE YOU SNEEZE?
Pollen allergens enter eyes, nose, and lungs; therefore, sensitizing the immune system. Specific antibodies to the pollen allergens are produced. These antibodies attach to mast cells, which are found in tissue. Pollen then enters the body causing histamine and other chemicals to be released from mast cells. This triggers an allergic reaction resulting in runny eyes and nose, throat and nose itching, sneezing, nose and sinus congestion, and asthma.
3). WHAT IS THE HEALTH IMPACT?
Note that pollen is harmless, but if you have seasonal allergies, your body mistakes the pollen for something dangerous. This reaction causes symptoms like coughing, sneezing, a runny or stuffy nose, and itchy, watery eyes. You might even feel like you have a cold.
If you have hay fever, also known as “allergic rhinitis,” breathing in pollen can cause:
- sneezing
- congestion
- runny nose
- Pollen exposure can also result in “allergic conjunctivitis,” causing:
- red eyes
- watery eyes
- itchy eyes
Pollen exposure can also cause asthma attacks if you have asthma and pollen is an asthma trigger.
This content was originally posted on the WDTV News website here.
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