Allergy Season Triggers and Treatments

Yes, it’s that time — spring is in the air, and unfortunately, so are tree pollen and mold spores. Rain washes allergens away, but thunderstorms don’t have the same effect. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) says that severe weather, most common during the spring and summer, can pick up and swirl pollen around. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, when you have allergies, your immune system mistakenly identifies a typically harmless substance as an intruder — an allergen. The immune system responds to the allergen by releasing histamine and chemical mediators that typically cause symptoms in the nose, throat, eyes, ears, skin, and roof of the mouth. Learn more about allergies and how to distinguish between allergies and COVID from NPHIC here.