The Center for Disease Control and Prevention approximates that 8 percent of adults in the United States suffer from seasonal allergies. After a long and bitter winter that has left trees and grasses blooming all at once, those who are allergic to pollen are in for a tough season of symptoms.
Pollens are small reproductive cells of plants that fertilize other plants. From trees to weeds, pollen is swept up into the air and breathed in by individuals during the warmer months of the year.
When someone has an allergic reaction to pollen, this means their immune system has identified this plant cell as an intruder. Immune systems are meant to protect the body from damaging substances. However, if the immune system is too sensitive, it will respond to a variety of allergens like pollen, particular foods or pet dander.
One way the immune system reacts to the allergen is to produce more mucus. The body sends out a defense against the allergen, known as histamine, and a multitude of symptoms are experienced. This is the first phase of defense against an allergen. Those with pollen allergies can experience congestion, watery eyes and sneezing as a result of their encounter with the allergen. Later on, leukotrienes, another defense against allergens, can produce nasal congestion.
Some people can grow out of an allergy as the years pass, while others can develop a new allergy. Researchers are still unsure of how exactly an individual ceases to be allergic to particular allergens that gave them trouble in the past. For some, it’s a change in their environment. For others, their symptoms may have simply changed. One’s allergic reactions can change from season to season.
Someone with pollen allergies may be more allergic to certain types of pollen from trees, grass or weeds. Their exposure to this particular pollen may increase their mucus production and produce a wide variety of uncomfortable results that affect their everyday life. Those living with Colorado pollen allergies may be affected in a way that those on the east coast of the country aren’t.
Professional allergists can administer a skin test to determine if a patient is allergic to a particular allergen. Once the allergy is identified, they can help the individual relieve the symptoms and live more comfortably in their day-to-day life. The professional allergists at Asthma & Allergy Associates and Food Allergy Center can help individuals living with Colorado pollen allergies. Give us a call or fill out our appointment request form today!