CLEVELAND, Ohio — Fall has arrived once again, and for some people, that means stuffy noses and itchy eyes.
“One of the big things we talk about is the leaves falling,” DeVon Preston, MD, an allergist with Cleveland Clinic, said. “There are molds that attach to the leaves, and then those mold allergens get blown around.”
Besides molds, people should watch out for weeds, which can also trigger allergy symptoms. These allergens can be somewhat mitigated by keeping your windows shut.
If symptoms appear, Dr. Preston recommends nasal steroids or nasal antihistamines for congestion, sneezing or a runny nose — or an oral antihistamine for itching. If symptoms continue, ask an allergist for help.
“An allergist can help you find out exactly what you’re allergic to,” Dr. Preston said. “If you’ve tried different over-the-counter interventions with no improvements, we may have to identify another treatment approach. In some cases, it may not even be allergies that are causing your symptoms.”
According to Dr. Preston, peak fall allergy season usually falls sometime in September or October, lasting until the first frost or hard freeze.
