Aug. 24--Summer may be winding down, but a new season is winding up -- the sneezin' season -- courtesy of ragweed.
"It usually starts around the 15th of August," said Dr. Jackie Eghrari-Sabet, an allergist at Family Allergy and Asthma Care with offices in Frederick and Gaithersburg. There are other allergy-triggering weeds all summer, but as fall goes on the culprits become ragweed and molds.
"There are two types of molds," Eghrari-Sabet said. "The type that come with hot, dry winds and the type that comes with rain."
Dust mites also trigger allergy symptoms-- which include nasal congestion, itchy watery eyes and sneezing.
"The beauty of being an allergist in this area is that there's enough allergens around all year-round," she said.
She sees a surge in patient visits this time of year as teachers and students get back to school. Dust mites are usually the source of allergy symptoms for teachers who arrive in classrooms first. The next round brings in students, particularly pre-school and kindergarten age.
"They spend a lot of time sitting on carpeted floors" and napping on mats, where dust mites hang out, feeding on dead skin cells. Then when the cool autumn air arrives outside, the heat goes on inside, circulating allergens around in rooms.
"Almost everybody I see is allergic to dust mites," Eghrari-Sabet said. "It's the most common allergen because people are exposed to them from birth, no matter where you live."
Avoidance is one way to prevent an allergy attack and the best place to first combat dust mites is the bedroom. Cover mattresses, box springs and pillows with dust mite-proof covers. In bed is where you will come "nose-to-nose" with them, while you sleep.
If you are experiencing allergy symptoms -- seasonal or perennial -- consider visiting an allergist who can schedule tests to see what may be triggering your symptoms. "It's so easy to get diagnosed and find out just what you are allergic to," Eghrari-Sabet said.
A new blood test, which can be ordered by a primary care physician or allergist, provides more accurate information about allergies. "If you need further treatment, allergy shots are the definitive treatment," she said.
Nasal congestion is the most common allergy symptom people experience, followed by sneezing and watery eyes. That's because the first place an environmental allergen lands is in the nose, through inhalation of pollen or another offending allergen. The second place is the eyes; then the throat, which can cause itching there, too; and fourth, in the lungs, "which is why the great majority of asthma is due to allergies," explained the doctor.
Could get worse
While an October killing frost usually brings an end to ragweed season, climate watchers say unchecked global warming could worsen respiratory allergies.
A 2010 report from the National Wildlife Federation, "Extreme Allergies and Global Warming," says that ragweed, the primary allergen trigger for fall, grows faster, produces more pollen per plant and has higher allergenic content under increased carbon dioxide levels. That could spell trouble for the nation's millions of people who suffer from ragweed allergy.
Each ragweed plant can produce up to 1 billion grains of pollen each season and that pollen can be carried up to 400 miles by the wind. Ragweed is native to North America and can be found throughout the lower 48 states. The ragweed family also includes sunflowers, daisies and mugwort.
Ragweed is often confused with goldenrod, another plant that flowers this time of year. The pollen of goldenrod is too heavy and sticky to become airborne.
Here are some ways to limit your exposure to ragweed:
--Avoid places where ragweed grows.
--Keep doors and windows closed while ragweed is in bloom (August through October).
--After going outdoors, wash clothing and hair to remove pollen you've carried inside with you.
--Use a HEPA air purifier to remove pollen from the air in your home.
-----
To see more of the Frederick News-Post or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.fredericknewspost.com.
Copyright (c) 2010, The Frederick News-Post, Md.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail services@mctinfoservices.com, or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544).