Spring Has Sprung!

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Ah, Spring – longer days, April showers, May flowers, sniffling, sneezing, allergies!

Are changes in the weather responsible for allergies?

Changes in temperature and humidity can cause allergy symptoms like sneezing and congestion which occur due to swelling of the nasal membranes. This is called non-allergic rhinitis. Rhinitis is a medical term for “runny nose” or “inflammation of the nose”. While the symptoms may be the same as an allergy attack, the internal response of the body is different. Because the reaction is not an allergic reaction, histamines are not released by the body. Because histamines are not released by the body, commonly prescribed or over-the-counter antihistamines do not work. If anti-histamines are not effective for your allergy symptoms during seasonal changes, you may not have seasonal allergies. Irrigating nasal passages with a saline rinse can provide relief for non-allergic rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis is when your sneezing and congestion is caused by a true allergy. It is a response of your immune system to an allergen. An allergen is a substance that your body misidentifies as harmful. When your immune system encounters this substance, it releases histamine and other chemicals. The result is what most people think of as an allergic reaction- coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and red eyes. Wind, extreme temperature changes and thunderstorms can make allergens like pollen or pollutants airborne. Due to these weather changes, asthmatics may be more likely to suffer from asthma attacks.

Changes in the weather often cause allergies when the allergen thrives in specific weather conditions. For example, pollen counts rise in spring as grass and tree pollens become more abundant. Mold grows in winter and peaks in summer in warm regions. Ragweed is a common fall allergy. While it may seem like changes in the weather are responsible for your allergies, it’s not the weather itself it’s the allergic agents that thrive in certain weather conditions.

The nature of the weather can have an impact on how severe an allergy season can be. A wet winter allows trees to produce more pollen so Spring allergies may be exacerbated. Dry, windy days blows pollen in the air. Rainy or humid days weigh the pollen down, keeping in on the ground and out of your respiratory system. On the flip side, rainy, humid days help mold spores and dust mites thrive.

A runny nose is symptomatic of rhinitis, whether allergic or non-allergic. That runny nose is caused by an overproduction of mucus. Mucus lines your sinus passages to moisten and cleanse them. It has the all-important job of trapping foreign particles so they won’t filter into the respiratory system. That runny nose you experience during allergy season is your body’s way of removing allergenic agents.

Excessive mucus can cause coughing of mucus and phlegm, throat congestion, shortness of breath, throat clearing, vocal strain or hoarseness. Native Remedies has an exciting combination of products to help relieve excessive mucus – The Complete Mucus-Clear ComboPack. Fan favorite Mucus-Clear is now paired with Mucus-Clear Nighttime to help relieve symptoms of congestion 24/7 while supporting peaceful sleep.