Fall Has Arrived
The lazy days of summer are slowly slipping away, bright fall colors and
cooler temperatures are around the corner. For many allergy and asthma sufferers
these changes may trigger seasonal allergies unless proper measures are taken.
These include: seeing an allergist to identify the plants that trigger symptoms;
taking proper medications; considering immunotherapy allergy shots to lessen the
reactions to the triggers; and avoiding the plants that most often provoke
allergies.
Ragweed, the plant most responsible for the onslaught of fall allergy
symptoms, is often found along road sides, vacant lots, fields and almost any
other sunny spot. It’s most prevalent throughout the Northeast, South and
Midwest, although forms of ragweed allergens are prevalent in all areas of the
United States. Besides ragweed, other common fall allergens include:
Outdoor molds found in soil, vegetation and rotting wood. Some molds peak in
late summer or early autumn, while leaf molds peak after the leaves have fallen.
They are most prevalent in the North during the fall and year-round in the South
and West Coast.
Trees, flowers and weeds that pollinate in the fall, including sagebrush,
pigweed, tumbleweed, and Russian thistles are troublesome in the South.
