Seasonal Allergy Treatment Doctor Q&A

Seasonal allergies occur when your immune system reacts to an outdoor allergen. Your immune system targets the allergen as an “invader” and tries to fight it off, hence your symptoms.

Pollen is a common seasonable allergy. People are often allergic to trees, hay, weeds, or grass. Flowers that insects pollinate are less likely to cause allergens because they’re heavy and can’t stay in the air for long.

Some people only have mild symptoms from their seasonal allergies while others have a severe reaction. The severity can also depend on how high the pollen count is. You might sneeze and have a runny or stuffy nose when you inhale the allergy. Your eyes may become itchy or watery. It’s even possible for your nose, sinuses, ear canals, and throat to feel itchy. Some people even have ear congestion. Less likely symptoms of seasonal allergies include shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and headache.

Seasonal allergies can trigger an asthma attack. You might notice you have increased wheezing, tightness in your chest, or coughing if you have asthma and come in contact with an allergen.

Usually, we can tell you have allergies based on the symptoms you have and when you have them. We also take into account your medical history. Sometimes, we’re able to tell what you’re allergic to based on the season you have symptoms. For instance, toward the end of summer and at the beginning of fall, it’s typically a ragweed allergy. In other seasons though, it’s a bit more difficult to tell since several allergens are out. It doesn’t help that allergens like ragweed can travel over one hundred miles, so you don’t even have to live near the allergen to have a reaction.

The next step of the diagnosis process may consist of a skin allergy test. This test consists of our physician pricking your skin with an extract of possible allergens. If you have a reaction within 15 minutes of the test, it means you’re allergic to that substance.

Often, we prescribe a prescription-strength antihistamine to prevent you from experiencing allergy symptoms. These medications are PRN, meaning you’ll only need to take them during the season when you experience allergy symptoms.

Our physician will educate you on ways to reduce your exposure to allergens as well. For example, you can watch the news and tell when allergens are high. These are the times when you want to avoid going outside. Our practitioner will suggest using an air conditioner with a HEPA filter. Additionally, our specialist may advise you to wash your bed linens regularly because they harbor allergens.

If Piniella Asthma & Allergy Center in Miami and Palmetto Bay sounds like the perfect option for your family, then we welcome you to schedule a consultation with us today. Our team of seasonal allergy specialists is ready to help every family member with all of their allergy testing and treatment needs, all in the comfort of our allergy clinics in South Florida. We hope Dr. Piniella and the rest of our team can help you feel better soon! We serve patients from Coral Gables FL, Palmetto Bay FL, Westchester FL, Brownsville FL, Kendall FL, Pinecrest FL, Richmond West FL, and Goulds FL.