What Are The Top Allergens in February Across the Country?

It’s February and although we’re still in the middle of winter, allergy season is just around the corner. With allergy season approaching, it’s time to start keeping a weekly watch on the pollen levels in your area. Let’s talk more about what allergies you could be facing right now.

February Allergies in the Northern United States 

Winter is coming to a close, but it’s not quite over yet for the north. We’re still seeing frosts that’s keeping any outdoor plant growth and pollination at bay. In the northern areas, we’re still seeing temperatures near freezing and no signs of spring. This means plants aren’t growing or pollinating, and that means less pollen in the air—but it also means more time spent indoors, which leaves you more exposed to indoor allergens like mold, pet dander, and dust mites.  

Top February allergens:

• Mold
• Dust
• Pet dander

February Allergies in the Southern United States

When it comes to allergies in the south, the recent high winds and mild weather are causing some of our patients to experience an earlier arrival of cedar season, as well as an earlier spring tree pollen season, as Elm pollen rates begin to skyrocket. Even though there is technically one more month of winter, we’re experiencing record-breaking high temperatures this year, especially in states like Texas and Florida, causing plants to pollinate even earlier than last year. This will continue to wreak havoc on our allergies here in the south. 

Top February allergens:

• Mountain Cedar (Juniper)
• Elm
• Mold

Allergens in the Eastern United States

The last hurrah of winter has come through the East. Through this last cold front, we expect more time spent indoors meaning more exposure to allergens such as mold, pet dander, and dust. These are considered perennial allergens because they are allergens that survive and keep you sneezing all year long, regardless of the season! Meanwhile, outdoor allergens are slowly but surely increasing as we prepare for the upcoming spring tree pollen season. 

Top February allergens:

• Dust Mites
• Pet Dander

February Allergies in the Western United States

Don’t forget your umbrella! With the unexpected torrential downpour the west has been facing, allergens have stirred up quite a bit. This means high Juniper and Elm pollen counts, as well as high mold counts due to the unexpected rainfall, it’s caused a lot of flooding and standing water, resulting in high levels of mold. Although there is less rainfall in New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado the Juniper season remains severe.If you’re further northwest, you might be experiencing more indoor allergens like dust, which are most likely responsible for your bad symptoms.

Top February allergens:

• Juniper
• Elm
• Mold

Top December Allergies Across the Country:

Juniper:

Juniper trees are a popular choice for landscaping and gardens. Their berries can be used in cooking, but the pollen produced by their flowers causes allergies in many people. Juniper pollen, which can be released in large quantities by the trees each spring, is small enough to become airborne and spread over long distances, so even if you live far from a state where the plants grow naturally, Juniper pollen could still cause allergic symptoms. When choosing Juniper trees as part of your landscaping plan, keep this in mind.

Pollen can attach itself to anything it touches, including your hair, clothing, bedding, and furniture. It will eventually find its way into your lungs if you don’t take precautions against exposure. Because of its chemical structure, Juniper pollen can cause allergic reactions in people who are typically not as sensitive to other environmental allergens, making it a severe allergen. If you only experience allergies once a year, and that’s at Juniper time, then it probably means that your body is immune to other kinds of pollen, but not this one.

Symptoms of Juniper allergies:

• Itchy, watery eyes
• Coughing
• Congestion
• Allergy headaches
• Sore throat
• Constant sneezing or wheezing

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How to prevent Juniper allergy symptoms and reduce Juniper exposure:

• Use a HEPA filter. These filters eliminate any remaining pollen in your home. They’re especially great for areas like your bedroom, purifying the air so you can get a better sleep.
• Vacuum and dust regularly. Make sure to dust first and then vacuum to pick up all the fallen and kicked up dust.
• Wash your hair. Juniper pollen is so small and will stick to anything, so it’s important to wash your hair after coming in from outdoors.

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Juniper allergy treatments:

• Now is the time to get ahead of your Juniper allergy because severe symptoms can develop over time. Allergy shots (immunotherapy) are a great way to begin treating cedar allergies.These shots are given at regular intervals, usually every two weeks. They slowly increase the body’s tolerance to allergens by exposing it to small amounts of each allergen over time.
• Allergy drops work in the same way as allergy shots, by gradually increasing your tolerance to the allergen, but they’re also portable and painless!
• If you’re tired of suffering from the harsh symptoms of Juniper pollen, our ExACT Immunoplasty treatment is just as effective as three years’ worth of allergy shots—but with just three injections over eight weeks.

Elm

Elm trees can be very difficult to avoid. The 35 different species of Elm trees cause a large amount of pollen to be produced, which is why this wind-pollinated tree can travel miles and has a significant impact on sensitive allergy sufferers. With an estimated 20 million people in the United States suffering from allergies, it’s important that your home be as clean as possible to ensure you’re not affected by dirty air. That’s why we created our free allergy calendar: so you can quickly find out what allergens will affect each season in your area. Check out our free allergy calendar today and start living confidently!

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Elm Allergy Symptoms:

If you experience these symptoms, it could be due to an Elm allergy. However, seasonal allergies often look the same, so it might be in your best interest to get an allergy test to know exactly what you’re allergic to. 

• Sneezing
• Itchy or watery eyes
• Congestion
• Post-nasal drip
• Coughing or wheezing
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Elm Allergy Prevention:

• Wash your clothes immediately after coming inside. Elm pollen can stick to any surface. If you’ve been outdoors, especially on a windy day, there’s a good chance you have pollen stuck to your clothes.
• Keep your windows closed. It’s better to run the air conditioning instead of opening windows during allergy season. This goes for your car as well.
• Check your local pollen count. Keep in mind that pollen levels are usually highest from early morning to mid-afternoon, so try to plan your day accordingly on high pollen level days. 

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Elm Allergy Treatments:

• If you experience symptoms such as rashes, hives, or trouble breathing, take an antihistamine.
• If you’re looking for long-term allergy relief, immunotherapy—also known as allergy shots—is a great way to go. Allergy shots are administered by an allergist in the clinic. You receive injections every week or bi-weekly until your body is able to tolerate the allergen without an allergic reaction. The goal is complete tolerance!
• Allergy drops work like allergy shots, gradually exposing the body to an allergen under the tongue. This treatment is great for those who want an easy way to manage their allergies but don’t have time for frequent office visits.
• Our ExACT Immunoplasty treatment is a convenient alternative to allergy shots. This revolutionary new treatment requires just three shots over the span of eight weeks! Studies have shown that our ExACT treatments effectiveness is comparable to three years’ worth of traditional allergy shots!

Mold:

While mold is typically a perennial issue, mold counts are on the rise as we continue to see heavier rainfalls across the country. Mold can be a tricky allergen due to the fact that it can be hidden in our homes. In any area where it might be slightly damp and humid, mold will thrive. This means areas like basements and attics can harbor large amounts of mold spores, dispersing them throughout your home and eventually reaching your lungs. Mold can be a very dangerous allergen if it’s not taken care of. It can grow and spread quickly, and also have severe effects on the body if there’s continued exposure.

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Mold Allergy Symptoms:

Some common allergy symptoms you might experience from mold are:

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Itchy, watery eyes
• Scratchy or sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Wheezing

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Mold Allergy Prevention Tips:

• Check dark, humid areas frequently. If your home has an attic or basement, be sure to frequently check on these areas to ensure that there is no mold growth. 
• Fix leaky faucets. Any stagnant water can lead to mold growth, this can be found under kitchen or bathroom sinks.
• Throw out any moldy food. If you have food on the counter, make sure it isn’t moldy or infested with fruit flies.

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Mold Allergy Treatments:

Luckily, mold allergies can be treated! If you’re looking for long-term treatment options, allergy shots, allergy drops, or even our ExACT Immunoplasty treatment will help treat the root cause of your mold allergy, not just mask the symptoms.

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If you’re tired of sneezing and itching, tired of avoiding your friends or family because the pollen count is too high, and tired of having to choose between saving money and getting proper treatment then it’s time to see what we can do for you at Aspire Allergy & Sinus. We specialize in allergy diagnosis, treatment and management, from taking care of seasonal allergies to minimizing allergy symptoms year round. Don’t let a few sneezes ruin your life; book an appointment today!

Your Month-by-Month Guide to Allergies

You may feel as though you have year-round allergies, and you may be right. See what’s most likely to be causing you to sneeze and wheeze as the months go by.

By Beth W. OrensteinMedically Reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

Reviewed: December 21, 2012

Medically Reviewed

If you suffer from allergies for even part of the year, you may wonder when you’ll get a reprieve. People with spring allergies, fall allergies, or winter allergies might feel relief during their off seasons, but for those who experience allergy symptoms year-round — it’s a constant battle with allergens in the air. Here’s a look at which allergies plague people most — and when.

January

During the winter, there’s less pollen (if any) floating around, but cranking up the heat indoors can kick up house dust, a winter allergy trigger. If you’re allergic to dust, winter allergies can be just as bad as in the spring and fall. To reduce dust exposure, it helps to keep your home’s humidity below 55 percent, use a vacuum with a HEPA filter regularly, and encase pillows and mattresses with dust-mite-proof covers.

February

Mold and dust can cause year-round allergy symptoms, but even if dust and mold don’t bring on the sniffles for you, trees can cause your allergies to flare at this time of year, depending on where you live. “We can see tree pollen as early as February, even in the Northeast,” says Marjorie L. Slankard, MD, an associate attending physician and director of the Allergy Clinic at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. In the United States, trees that commonly cause allergies include catalpa, elm, hickory, olive, pecan, sycamore, and walnut. Tree pollen can cause the same symptoms as most spring allergies — watery eyes, sneezing, and nasal congestion.

March

Tree pollen remains high on the list of allergens for March, which marks the beginning of spring. “If the trees, grasses, and pollens start coming out early, March can be rough going for people with spring allergies,” Dr. Slankard says. Though nice spring weather beckons you outside, if you have spring allergies, keep your eye on the pollen count. The higher the count, the worse the allergies will be. A good place to check pollen counts is at the National Allergy Bureau of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.

April

April showers can bring … spring allergies. All that rain can make for blooming flowers, but as beautiful as they are, flowers and their pollen means discomfort for people with spring allergies. In some areas of the country, grass pollen emerges in April, too. Between the pollen from the flowers and the pollen from the grass, spring allergies may make you feel especially miserable.

May

Allergic to tree pollen? Although tree pollination can begin as early as February, it can last through May. That means you might need to slog through spring allergies for four long months. Grass pollen can also emerge this time of year in some parts of the country.

June

June is a key grass pollen month in many areas, and it’s likely that grass pollen will start to trigger your spring allergies by this time of year if it hasn’t already. As the days get longer and the temperature gets higher, you’ll probably want to spend more time outdoors. If you suffer from spring allergies, you may have good days and bad days — the temperature, the rainfall amount, and even the time of day will affect grass pollen levels, and you’ll need to adjust accordingly.

July

The good news is that by July, grass pollen should subside and you might feel like your spring allergies are finally becoming manageable again. The bad news is that July marks the start of fungus spores and seeds, so if you’re allergic to molds and spores, too, you may feel like your allergies never end. Mold can grow on fallen leaves, compost piles, grasses, and grains.

August

August is a prime month for people with summer allergies to mold spores, which peak during hot, humid weather. You might want to stay inside on days when the mold spore count is particularly high. The best way to keep away from these allergens is to run the air conditioning with a HEPA filter — this cool comfort indoors should help you feel better during the dog days of August.

September

Late summer/early fall ragweed is the most common cause of fall allergies. Depending on where you live, ragweed-fueled fall allergies can start in August or September and continue through October and possibly November. Pollen grains are lightweight and spread easily, especially on windy days. The more wet and windy autumn is in your area, the more easily the pollen spreads, and the worse your symptoms will feel.

October

Chances that fall allergies will ease by October get better the farther north you go in the United States. But in warmer climates, fall allergies can linger well into this month. Seasonal rain and wind can also ramp up mold spores — if your fall allergies include mold or fungi spores, your symptoms may linger.

November

The ragweed pollen season usually ends by mid-November in most areas of the country. If you have fall allergies and react to fungi and molds, you probably face your worst symptoms in late summer and early fall. Although you might feel miserable from the end of March until November, making it seem like you have year-round allergies, you should get a break now. November may be one of the best months for people with outdoor allergies, which allows for enjoying the crisp weather. Then, just in time, indoor allergies to pet dander and indoor molds pick up.

December

As pretty as they are, real Christmas trees can make you wheeze and sneeze. It’s likely not the tree itself that triggers allergies but the microscopic mold spores that can harbor in its branches. If you can’t resist buying a live tree despite winter allergies, take it home a week before you plan to decorate it and leave it in a garage or an enclosed porch. Then give it a good shake to try to get rid of any spores.

Donate blood for pollen allergy in February at the Optimum medical laboratory in Sochi (Adler)

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Comprehensive analysis “February Pollen”

Comprehensive study “Pollen February (Hornbeam, Cypress, Hazel, Pine)”, , which allows to detect specific IgE antibodies in the blood and determine their concentration, is carried out to detect sensitization of the patient’s body to these allergens.

Allergic reaction is an abnormal form of immune response that occurs when the human body is over-receptive to repeated exposure to certain foreign substances. The first exposure to allergens provokes the production of antibodies of the isotype E, the subsequent – the degranulation of specific immune cells due to IgE.

In the development of allergic conjunctivitis, rhinitis and bronchial asthma, the main role is played by inhaled allergens – tree fingers . To date, more than 9000 types of pollen allergens are known, the distribution of which depends on the area. To help allergy sufferers, floristic maps are compiled, including a list of plants from different regions and a schedule for their flowering.

A representative of the coniferous family – cypress (growing in the southern regions of our country), is a very strong allergen, its pollination begins in February. Signs of pollinosis appear when a threshold concentration of its pollen accumulates in the air. In addition, it is characterized by the presence of similar antigens that can cause an immune cross-reaction with allergens pines and representatives of the beech-flower family – hornbeam and hazel.

To detect the hypersensitivity of the human body to pollen allergens, special laboratory tests are carried out that allow detecting immune disorders and determining the etiological cause of the allergic reaction.

When is the test done?

Conducting immunological analysis “Pollen February (hornbeam, cypress, hazel, pine)” necessary for:

• the patient has symptoms of hay fever – sore throat, clear discharge from the nose, cough, watery eyes, redness and itching of the eyelids, bronchospasm;
• inability to perform skin tests;
• the need to quantify the specificity of inhalant allergens;
• total IgE titer more than 100 IU/l;
• monitoring of ongoing course of specific immunotherapy.

Test method

A sample of biological material (venous blood) is taken in the manipulation room of the laboratory center in the morning, on an empty stomach.

On the eve of the procedure, the patient should:

• refrain from eating;
• stop drinking alcohol and carbonated drinks;
• eliminate psycho-emotional stress;
• limit smoking and physical activity.

immunoassay method with chemiluminescent detection capability.

Analysis interpretation

Normally, specific IgE antibodies do not exceed 0.35 kU/L. An increase in their level confirms the patient’s sensitization to inhaled allergens of hornbeam, cypress, hazel and pine pollen.

Allergies in spring and summer

As soon as the sun begins to warm up and the snow melts, the soil, last year’s foliage and withered grass are exposed. This is a very good breeding ground for various fungi – mold, yeast, aspergillus. The spring wind carries microscopic fungal spores that can cause allergy symptoms. The time of occurrence of this type of allergy – fungal – is from the beginning of snow melting (usually March in our lane) until the end of May – June.

Another allergen associated with snow melting, evaporation of moisture from roads and sidewalks is anti-icing agents. The reaction to chemicals can continue throughout the snowmelt period.

However, the most famous and, according to statistics, the most common type of spring-summer allergy is pollinosis (hay fever) – a reaction to the pollen of flowering trees and grasses. From about mid-March to the end of April, there is dusting of early-flowering trees – alder, hazel, hornbeam, maple, ash, willow, willow. From mid-April to the end of May – dusting of late-flowering trees – birch, oak, elm, pine, spruce, poplar. From mid-May to the end of June, some herbs bloom, the pollen of which also causes allergy symptoms – coltsfoot, dandelion.

In the summer, the most common cause of allergies is the pollen of cereals and weeds. In June-July, there is a reaction to the flowering of cereals – timothy, rye, corn, wheat, couch grass, foxtail, fescue, hedgehog, bluegrass. From July to autumn, weeds bloom – wormwood, quinoa, nettle, plantain.

What are the symptoms of an allergy?

All the types of allergens listed above belong to the group of aeroallergens and cause a reaction in the respiratory tract. The most common symptoms of rhinitis are: itchy nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, runny nose. Often associated with redness of the eyes, lacrimation, photophobia. If you do not take any medications for allergies, the symptoms may become more severe: sore throat, cough, hoarseness, manifestations of bronchial obstruction (asthma).

Less commonly, atopic dermatitis, urticaria, or Quincke’s edema is observed upon contact with aeroallergens.

Cross allergy – what is it?

There are foods whose allergens are similar in origin and composition to tree, grass, and fungal allergens. When using these products, a reaction similar to an allergy to plant pollen is often observed – conjunctivitis, sore throat and cough, sneezing, nasal congestion. Allergies can be observed both during the flowering season and all year round. It happens that the reaction to cross products is even stronger than to the causative plant. Therefore, during flowering, it is recommended to follow a diet with the exclusion of cross-products so as not to aggravate pollen allergy. However, some people need such a diet outside of the flowering season.

If you are allergic to birch and related plants (aspen, alder, oak, beech, hornbeam, maple, ash, hazel), apples, pears, nuts, kiwi, carrots, celery, parsley, honey and stone fruits and vegetables (cherry, plum, prunes, peach, apricot, cherry, avocado, etc.).

Allergic people who react to cereal pollen should exclude bakery products and all flour products, kvass, beer, soy products, meat products with fillers.

If you are allergic to weed plants, seeds, halva, sunflower and corn oils, melon, watermelon, celery, herbal preparations are excluded from the diet.

With a fungal allergy, sour-milk products, moldy cheeses, kvass, sourdough are excluded.

How to diagnose allergies?

If you suspect an allergy, you should definitely visit an allergist. He will conduct a conversation, ask the necessary questions to understand which group of allergens causes a reaction. Then the doctor conducts an allergy diagnosis. It is a skin test with microdoses of allergens. In this case, the result is visible immediately after the examination. An allergist may also prescribe a blood test for allergens. Sometimes allergy diagnostics includes both methods.

What to do with the development of spring-summer allergies?

The best way to treat allergies is to avoid contact with the allergen. Therefore, one of the options for dealing with a spring illness is to leave for another lane, somewhere there are no such plants, or the causative plant has already faded.

However, often there is simply no way to leave. What to do then? Firstly, a visit to an allergist is necessary to conduct an allergological diagnosis and establish the causative allergen. In addition, the allergist will prescribe the necessary treatment to relieve symptoms, as well as give recommendations on diet, hygiene and walking during the flowering period.

To reduce contact with allergens, it is recommended to use barrier products: masks, nasal filters, barrier sprays. Windows and vents in the house should be closed to avoid allergens. Active walks are best done in calm weather after rain. When you come home from the street, you must definitely take off your outer clothing, wash your hands and face, rinse your mouth, rinse your nose with boiled water.

The most effective method of dealing with pollen allergy is Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy (ASIT). The method is the introduction of low doses of a causative allergen into the body of an allergic person. The immune system “gets used” to it and the reaction to the flowering plant decreases or disappears altogether.