What causes summer allergies and how to treat them
- The most common cause of summer allergies is grass pollen from grass types like Timothy, Kentucky Blue, and Rye.
- You can also get summer allergies from mold, which is most prevalent from July to early fall.
- Some treatment options are limiting allergen exposure, taking medications like antihistamines, or getting allergy shots.
- This article was medically reviewed by Omid Mehdizadeh, MD, otolaryngologist and laryngologist at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute's Pacific Eye, Ear & Skull Base Center at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA
Do you tend to get a runny nose and itchy eyes during the spring and summer? You're not alone.
In fact, about 24.4 million Americans have seasonal allergies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Seasonal allergies are usually worse in the spring, when plants release more of their pollen, but summer brings its own set of allergens, which can also affect many people.
Here's what you should know if you're experiencing summer allergies.
Causes
The most common summer pollen trigger is grass pollen, which is especially rampant on warm and windy days.
The most common grasses that cause allergies are:
- Timothy
- Kentucky Blue
- Johnson
- Rye
- Fescue
- Bermuda
- Bahia
Most regions of the US have one or more types of these grasses. Grass allergies are prevalent because grass pollen is moved through the wind rather than by insects, which makes it easier to breathe it in and develop symptoms.
In the early summer months, allergy symptoms can be especially bad for people allergic to both tree pollen (which is more common throughout the spring) and grass pollen — because the seasons can overlap. Ragweed pollen is another allergen that typically arrives in late summer to early fall.
According to Kris McGrath, MD, professor of allergy and immunology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, summer allergies are typically worse in the southern US, because warmer climates have longer pollination seasons.
Mold is another common summer allergy culprit. People with mold allergies react when they breathe in mold spores while they travel through the air. Allergic symptoms from mold can occur year-round, but are most common from July to early fall when humidity is high, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
While there are many types of mold, not all cause allergic reactions. Outdoors, molds may grow on rotting logs and fallen leaves, in compost piles and on grasses and grains. Indoors, molds grow in damp areas, and are often found in the bathroom, kitchen, or basement.
Symptoms
Summer allergy symptoms include:
- Runny nose and congestion
- Watery, itchy, red eyes
- Sneezing
- Cough
- Itchy nose, roof of mouth, or throat
- Swollen, dark circles under the eyes
- Postnasal drip
- Fatigue
Allergies can also be triggering for people with asthma, McGrath says, causing symptoms like wheezing, shortness of breath, and cough. Allergies also increase your risk of getting a sinus infection. By inflaming your nose and sinuses, allergies stop mucus from draining properly, which can lead to infection.
Summer air pollution can also worsen allergy symptoms. According to a 2015 report by the National Resources Defense Council, people with allergies are at higher risk to the effects of ozone smog pollution, which can intensify symptoms and even trigger asthma attacks.
Summer allergies can sometimes feel like the common cold (yes, you can still get a cold in the summer). This chart from the Mayo Clinic can help you differentiate between the two:
Treatments
Summer allergies can interfere with quality of life, sleep, energy levels, and productivity, according to McGrath.
It's important to understand how to limit your allergies in the summer, as well as treating them with medication and home remedies. Here's how:
Limit allergen exposure
If you suffer from pollen allergies, McGrath says you can reduce pollen exposure by staying indoors when possible, using air conditioning, and showering and changing clothes after going outside.
It's also a good idea to keep track of pollen and mold counts and stay inside when counts are high. The National Allergy Bureau is a reliable source for tracking pollen and mold counts in your area.
You can limit mold indoors by monitoring humidity levels with a hygrometer and ensuring humidity stays below 45%. Pay close attention to mold buildup in your home and reduce dampness whenever possible.
To keep your allergy symptoms in check, you can view the ozone levels in your area at www.airnow.gov and avoid strenuous outdoor activities when ozone smog levels are high.
Medication
There are several medications you can take to treat allergy symptoms:
- Oral antihistamines. Antihistamines can help with symptoms of sneezing, itching, a runny nose and watery eyes. Examples of oral antihistamines include loratadine (Claritin, Alavert), cetirizine (Zyrtec Allergy) and fexofenadine (Allegra Allergy).
- Decongestants. Oral decongestants like pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, Afrinol, others) can help reduce stuffiness. Nasal sprays like oxymetazoline (Afrin) and phenylephrine (Neo-Synephrine) can also help but shouldn't be used for more than three days in a row, or they can worsen symptoms.
- Nasal spray. Nasal corticosteroids sprays (Beconase, Flonase) can help relieve stuffiness and irritation in the nose. You'll need a doctor's prescription for these.
- Combination medications. Some allergy medications combine an antihistamine with a decongestant to tackle multiple symptoms at once. Examples are loratadine-pseudoephedrine (Claritin-D) and fexofenadine-pseudoephedrine (Allegra-D).
- Sinus rinses. Rinsing your sinuses with a squeeze bottle or neti pot can also be a quick way to relieve nasal congestion. Make sure you use filtered water.
Allergy shots
Allergy shots, or immunotherapy, is a further treatment option for seasonal allergies. They work by injecting the body with small doses of allergens over a few years to help build resistance to your allergens.
"We can't change the body's genetics, but we can help modify the immune response by giving allergy shots," McGrath says.
If avoiding allergens and using medications aren't helping your summer allergy symptoms, you should see an allergist to ask about different treatment methods.