Grass Pollen Allergy
Grass pollen allergies are a major inconvenience for most people, although for a few it is a serious health risk. A lot of people have allergies to pollen and during the summer it can really be quite uncomfortable. The problem with a grass pollen allergy is that there is no way to avoid the pollen. That means you will likely need to resort to medication to deal with your allergies.
Pollen is the way that grass reproduces; the pollen spreads in the wind and fertilizes the grass so that it can keep growing. The problem is that people breathe in that pollen and in many cases have an allergic reaction. Grass is a fairly common allergen, much more common than flowers. A lot of people think of flowers as the cause of their seasonal allergies, in reality this is rarely the case, it is far more likely to be grass than flowers. Not all grass causes pollen allergies, in fact the majority of grass species don’t cause allergies but there are still quite a few that do.
In most cases a grass pollen allergy will result in nothing more than itchy eyes and a runny nose. However there are some people who will have a more serious reaction. This is especially the case if you suffer from asthma, grass pollen can be a trigger for your asthma. There are even a few people who will suffer a severe anaphylaxis if they are exposed to grass pollen. Part of the problem with grass pollen is that you can’t really avoid it. That means that other means will be necessary to deal with the problem.
The standard advice for dealing with an allergy is to avoid the allergen; this isn’t going to be possible with grass pollen. Even if you have your own flower garden, the pollen is everywhere there is no way to avoid it. Even staying indoors isn’t an option since the pollen will still get in there attached to other people and their clothes as they enter your house. Just because you can’t avoid pollen doesn’t mean that you can’t take steps to limit exposure. Grass pollen tends to be worst early in the morning so try to stay inside at these times. It is also a good idea to keep your lawn cut short, just don’t cut it yourself.
The best treatment for a pollen allergy is an anti-histamine. This should take care of most of the symptoms of a pollen allergy. An over the counter product should be sufficient for most people but if this isn’t working for you it might be a good idea to get a prescription from your doctor for something a little stronger. It may also be a good idea to consider getting allergy shots. These will be a series of shots that will expose you to the allergens in grass pollen so that your immune system builds up a resistance. This is a very effective way to deal with grass pollen allergies.