With the arrival of autumn, people can’t stop sniffling and sneezing all the day owing to hay fever or allergic rhinitis. The comeback of the cool weather conditions causes the pollen allergy which is also known as hay fever or allergic rhinitis. Around 30 million Americans suffer from this and the symptoms appear during fall.

Like all the usual allergic syndromes, hay fever is caused due to problems with the immune system. Alternative to hurting the destructive viruses and bacteria it tries to counteract the invaders which are usually harmless. The weed pollen grains which fill the air from the months August to October till the first frost causes the infection for people with hay fever. When they inhale these minute particles, it triggers a series of biochemical reactions which cause the release of histamine, which causes the symptoms related to allergies. Apart from congestion, fatigue, sneezing and coughing, histamine also causes itchy and irritating, nose, throat and eyes, asthma attacks, post-nasal drips and dark circles below the eyes.

Many varieties of plants can induce hay fever, but the seventeen types of ragweed which grow in North America cause the largest menace. 3 out 4 people allergic to pollen are definitely sensitized to ragweed. It grows anywhere like roads, riverbanks and vacant lots etc. A single ragweed plan could produce 1 billion pollen grains in a year, which don’t fall to ground but float in air causing harm to allergic people.

The people suffering from hay fever are usually advised to say indoor at morning since the pollen count is high during that time. But there are some other effective methods to reduce the symptoms of hay ever which includes some strategies to avoid taking pollen.

1. Keeping the windows shut and Air conditioners in your home and car on during ragweed season can help avoiding them. The air conditioner can reduce the moisture in air and prevents mold growth which can aggravate the symptoms of hay fever. Using HEPA air filters can help people if the home is particularly carpeted.
2. Always wearing a full-body hazmat suit can help in protecting ourselves from pollen. It can be worn while going outside to the garden for exercising or mowing the lawn etc. Also get NIOSH certified health mask with N95 ratings from the drug stores.
3. Always after coming from outside, the allergic people should wash their hands and face. If they have got disclosed to the outdoor air for some time, it’s better to shower and change clothes.
4. Banana, chamomile and melons which contain proteins can aggravate allergic symptoms and it’s better to avoid such food items.
5. Use salt-water spray to clean the nostrils and wash pollen from nasal passages as it can curb the symptoms of hay fever effectively.
6. Keeping track of the counts of pollen and staying indoor during days when there is a high pollen count can help avoiding pollen and the symptoms related to hay fever.

Apart from these strategies to avoid pollen, medical therapies can also help in reducing hay fever symptoms. The antihistamines like Zyrtec and Claritin can be very effective in reducing the symptoms.

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