Summer Allergy Triggers-Top 4 Irritants That Cause Summer Allergies to Flare

by: Debbie Davis

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Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2010 Time: 4:21 AM - 0 comments

Summertime air is filled with allergens that can make allergy sufferers miserable. Knowing what the triggers are and how to manage them can make all the difference. Here are four of he most common triggers for summer allergies and an effective way for eliminating them.

Pollen-Just as in the spring, summer's biggest offender is pollen. But by summer the trees are done with pollination and it is the grass and weeds that step up to take their place. Grass is the most popular ground cover and is next to impossible to avoid. There are many different kinds of grass that can cause problems including well known varieties such as Timothy, Red Top, Orchard, Blue, Bermuda, and Sweet Vernal.

Weeds-Weed pollination usually begins in August and can continue through late fall into November. Ragweed is probably the most well known followed closely by Sagebrush, Pigweed, Cockle weed and numerous others.

For both pollens and weeds, dry windy days are the times when the air tends to be thick with pollen. It attaches to clothes, hair and any other handy surface in hopes of finding fertile ground to begin the cycle again.

Mold-Mold occurs naturally outside and can only survive if and when it finds moisture. Landscaping that allows water to stand, or areas that don't drain naturally, and piles of leaves are all places where these spores will thrive.

Mold spores enter your home constantly, there's no keeping them out. Bathrooms, kitchens, and basements are prime targets for mold because of the inherent moisture that is typically found in these areas.

Dust Mites-These microscopic critters love dark, warm places and feed on dead skin. Their feces contain a protein that is a renowned allergy trigger. Because humidity generally increases in the summer, so does the dust mite count. This can create problems in your bed and your bedroom as they continue to multiply.

They generally become airborne with simple every day activities such as making the bed, plumping the pillows and walking through the room on rugs or carpeting.

With these kinds of airborne triggers present in the summer time, it's no wonder that an immune system that is sensitive to any of these irritants goes into overdrive. Your body tries to expel these threats by trying to get rid of them by coughing, sneezing, and creating extra tears and mucous (congestion) to get rid of them.

And whereas you cannot control what's in the air outside your home, you can mange your allergies beautifully in the summer and all through the year by filtering the triggers that cause the symptoms. Eliminating the triggers rather than constantly treating the symptoms is the most proactive and non-invasive way to effectively mange summer allergies.