Summer Allergy Triggers: Flora Responsible for Seasonal Nasal Irritation
In the warmer months, summer plant allergies can turn a pleasant walk in the park or a day spent gardening into a sneezing, wheezing ordeal. Here's a guide to help you navigate through the season with minimal discomfort.
Summer plant allergies can be triggered by a variety of plants, including ornamental grasses like Fescue, Bermuda grass, Sweet vernal, Bentgrass, and Sedge, as well as common garden plants such as Ragweed, Ryegrass, Pigweed, Lambsquarter, Timothy grass, Cocklebur, Dock, Plantain, Sorrel, Elm, Mountain cedar, Mulberry, Maple, Oak, Pecan, and Cypress. Smaller trees, shrubs, and bushes like Privet, Wormwood, Hydrangea, Japanese cedar, Juniper, and Wisteria can also cause allergies.
To minimize exposure, Bonnie L. Grant, a professional landscaper with a Certification in Urban Gardening and 15 years of gardening and writing experience, suggests taking a walk between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m., when pollen counts are typically lower. She also advises using a mask during activities like mowing that dislodge pollen, and showering thoroughly after being outside to remove allergens from the body.
Rinsing patio furniture and keeping the home closed can also help reduce exposure to allergens. If you're particularly sensitive, consider drying clothes in the dryer instead of outdoors to prevent them from getting covered in pollen.
Using a HEPA filter in the home can help track tiny particulates and improve sleep quality. For added protection, using allergy medicines at least 30 minutes before going outdoors can help prevent summer allergy symptoms.
Symptoms of summer plant allergies include a stuffy head, runny nose, headache, weepy eyes, and itching. If you experience these symptoms, it's important to seek an allergological diagnosis and treatment.
In Germany, common plants causing summer allergies include mugwort (Beifuß) and ragweed (Ambrosia), with Ambrosia being especially allergenic and blooming from August to October, often found along roadsides and fallow land. Other contributing herbs are sorrel, plantain, goosefoot, and nettle. To avoid allergy symptoms, minimizing exposure by staying indoors during high pollen times, using air filters, and seeking allergological diagnosis and treatment are recommended.
In gardens, chamomile, chrysanthemum, amaranth, daisies, goldenrod, lavender, purple coneflower, and stock flowers are common allergy-causing plants. Many allergy-causing plants grow in wild areas such as ditches, fields, and abandoned spaces.
By following these tips, you can enjoy the summer months without the discomfort of summer plant allergies.
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