What are environmental allergies?
Environmental allergies occur when your immune system mistakenly triggers a defensive response to certain substances in your environment. Environmental allergies are quite common. Approximately 24 million people in the U.S. or roughly 25% of the population in the U.S. have environmental allergies.
How do environmental allergies affect my body?
Environmental allergies cause an allergic reaction. An allergic reaction is your body’s response to an allergen. You can be sensitive to one or more allergens.
If you have allergies, the first time you encounter an environmental allergen, your body responds by creating immunoglobulin E (IgE). After your first exposure, you make IgE which are now sensitive to that specific allergen. The next time you encounter the allergen, the IgE binds to the allergen, triggering the cells to release histamine and other chemicals.
Histamine is what causes your immediate allergy symptoms. Your symptoms develop very fast — usually within seconds or minutes.
What are symptoms of environmental allergies?
Environmental allergy symptoms include:
- Congestion (feeling stuffy)
- Postnasal drip
- Coughing
- Dark circles under your eyes (allergic shiners)
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Hives
- Itchy and runny nose
- Red, itchy and watery eyes (epiphora)
- Sneezing
- Wheezing (difficulty breathing, usually with a whistling or gasping sound).
- Seasonal allergies can also trigger an asthma attack and/or worsening eczema
What causes environmental allergies?
Environmental allergens include many different substances, including pollen, molds, pet dander and saliva (spit), dust mites and cockroaches.
How do you get rid of environmental allergies?
Although some people outgrow or lose environmental allergies, it is more common to continue to experience symptoms indefinitely. There are several different types of medications available for treatment of environmental allergies such as antihistamines. You can permanently remove environmental allergies with allergen immunotherapy. This involves multiple injections containing your specific allergens administered over 3-5 years. The most important thing is to meet with your board-certified Allergy Immunologist to discuss options and figure out a treatment plan which is right for you.
The following tips can also help you avoid allergy symptoms:
- At home
- Keep your windows closed and use air conditioning
- Filter the air in your home
- Reduce humidity in your home
- Avoid moldy areas
- Regularly brush and bathe your pets
- Use dust mite covers on mattresses and pillows
- Vacuum rugs, carpets and other surfaces regularly
- Outdoors
- Keep your windows closed while driving
- Check the pollen count before spending time outside
- Wear a mask
- Bathe or use nasal saline irrigation after spending time outdoors
- Dry clothes in a dryer