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1.
What Types of Plants Produce the Most Allergenic Pollen?
The
type of pollen that most commonly causes allergic reactions
comes from plants (trees, grasses, and weeds) that typically
do not bear fruit or flowers. These plants produce small,
light, dry pollen granules in large quantities that
can be carried through the air for miles.
Common
plant allergens include:
Weeds,
such as ragweed (including the marsh-elder, desert broom,
feverfew, dog fennel, chamomile, chrysanthemum, and
marigold families), sagebrush, redroot pigweed, lamb's
quarters, goosefoot, tumbleweed (Russian thistle), and
English plantain.
Grasses, such as timothy grass, Kentucky blue grass,
Johnson grass, Bermuda grass, redtop grass, orchard
grass, sweet vernal grass, perennial rye, salt grass,
velvet grass, and fescue.
Hardwood deciduous trees, such as oak, ash, elm, birch,
maple, alder, and hazel as well as hickory, pecan, box,
and mountain cedar. Juniper, cedar, cypress, and sequoia
trees are also likely to cause allergies.
2. What Does a Pollen Count Mean?
A
pollen count is the measure of the amount of pollen
in the air. Pollen counts are commonly included in local
weather reports. The counts are usually reported for
mold spores and three types of pollen: grasses, trees,
and weeds. The count is reported as grains of pollen
per square meter of air collected over 24 hours. This
number represents the concentration of all the pollen
in the air in a certain area at a specific time. The
pollen count is translated into a corresponding level:
absent, low, medium, or high.
In
general, a "low" pollen count means that only
people extremely sensitive to pollen will experience
symptoms. A "medium" count means many people
who are sensitive to pollen will experience symptoms,
and a "high" count means most people with
any sensitivity to pollen will experience symptoms.
Although
the pollen count is an approximate and fluctuates, it
is useful as a general guide when you are trying to
determine whether or not you should stay indoors to
avoid pollen contact.
3.
Should I Consider Moving to Decrease My Allergy Symptoms?
No.
Moving to a different geographic climate will not help
"cure" allergies. Most people who relocate
to get away from pollens that cause their allergies
tend to find that they eventually develop allergies
to the plant pollens in the new area.
4.
How Can I Tell if My Son Has Allergies or a Common Cold?
Symptoms
of allergies and colds can be similar, but here's how
to tell the difference:
Occurrence
of symptoms:
Both
allergies and colds cause symptoms of sneezing, congestion,
runny nose, watery eyes, fatigue, and headaches. However,
colds often cause symptoms one at a time: first sneezing,
then a runny nose, and then congestion. Allergies cause
symptoms that occur all at once.
Duration
of symptoms:
Cold
symptoms generally last from 7 to 10 days, whereas allergy
symptoms continue as long as a person is exposed to
the allergy-causing agent. Allergy symptoms may subside
soon after elimination of allergen exposure.
Mucus
discharge:
Colds
may cause yellowish nasal discharge, suggesting an infectious
cause. Allergies generally cause clear, thin, watery
mucus discharge.
Sneezing:
Sneezing
is a more common symptom of allergies, especially when
sneezing occurs two or three times in a row.
Time
of year:
Colds
are more common during the winter months, whereas allergies
are more common in the spring through the fall, when
trees, plants, and grasses are pollinating.
Presence
of a fever:
Colds
may be accompanied by a fever, but allergies are not
usually associated with a fever.
5.
What Does It Mean When a Product Is Labeled "Hypoallergenic"?
"Hypo"
means "under" or "less than," so
"hypoallergenic" means a product is less likely
to trigger an allergic reaction.
Many
products that we use every day, such as cleansers and
soaps, deodorants, makeup, and even mouthwash, have
ingredients that can irritate the skin or act as antigens
(substances that trigger an allergic reaction). Exposure
of the skin to these ingredients -- most often fragrances
and chemicals used as preservatives -- can lead to a
condition called contact dermatitis. Contact dermatitis
appears as areas of redness, itching, and swelling on
the skin, and sometimes as a rash or blisters.
Many
manufacturers of cosmetics and cleaning supplies now
market their products as "hypoallergenic,"
meaning the products do not contain ingredients that
are known to cause irritation or allergic reactions.
However, manufacturers are not required to prove the
claim that their products are hypoallergenic, and there
are currently no regulations or standards for manufacturers
to follow.
Although
choosing products that are hypoallergenic may help reduce
the risk of contact dermatitis, no product can guarantee
never to irritate the skin or produce an allergic reaction.
It's always a good idea to test any new product before
you use it, especially if you have had skin reactions
in the past. To test it, simply put a sample of the
product on your inner wrist or elbow and wait 24 hours
to see if a reaction occurs.
6.
Can Allergies Be Cured?
Allergies
cannot be cured but the symptoms they cause can be treated
and controlled. This may require making changes in your
environment or behavior to avoid or reduce your exposure
to certain allergens. Medication also may help relieve
symptoms of an allergic reaction. Even with treatment,
your body's immune system will continue to react when
exposed to allergens. In some cases, however, children
may outgrow their allergies, particularly those to food.
Immunotherapy,
or allergy shots, is not a cure. Rather, the shots are
a way to significantly lessen the symptoms caused by
exposure to specific substances.
7.
How Does Stress Affect Allergies?
Stress
is your body's response to conflict or situations, both
internal and external, that interfere with the normal
balance in your life. Virtually all of the body's systems,
including the digestive system, cardiovascular system,
nervous system, and immune system, make adjustments
in response to stress. When you are feeling anxious
or stressed, your body releases numerous hormones and
other chemicals, including histamine. Histamine is a
powerful chemical that causes blood vessels to expand,
which can lead to allergy-like symptoms.
Stress
does not cause allergies but it can make an existing
reaction worse by increasing the level of histamine
in the bloodstream.
Reviewed
by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Department of
Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine.
Edited
by Charlotte E. Grayson, MD, Feb. 2004, WebMD.
Portions
of this page © The Cleveland Clinic 2000-2004
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