This is what’s causing your allergy symptoms if you live in Utah…
Whether you live in Salt Lake City, Utah County, Davis County, Park City or anywhere else along the Wasatch Front the desire to enjoy spring time in Utah is the same. There’s nothing quite like all those outdoor activities that are available in this beautiful state. Unfortunately, if you’re part of the large group of people that has allergies, Spring isn’t all that fun. If you’re living in Utah and are experiencing Allergic Rhinitis (hay fever) you probably want to know what’s causing it, and what you can do about it!
Allergies are caused by an over-sensitive immune system that’s reacting to allergens, or triggers. This reaction is the same type of thing that occurs when the body is exposed to viruses or bacteria, which explains why so many allergy symptoms can be similar to those of a common cold. Your immune system kicks into high-gear when it’s exposed to these allergens, producing histamines which cause swelling, mucus production, and other symptoms.
But how do you know the difference between allergy symptoms and the common cold? Your doctor or allergist will be able to give you a better, more personalized answer to this question, but here are a few general ideas to help you distinguish the symptoms that could look very similar.
These symptoms could occur when you have a cold (flu) or when you’re having an allergic reaction:
Runny nose
Nasal congestion
Coughing
Sneezing
Sore throat
Post-nasal drip
However, there are also some symptoms that only occur when you have a cold, like body aches and a fever. The same can be said about allergies; itchy eyes are rare when you have a cold, but it’s a very common symptom when experiencing allergies. If you have anything that’s “itchy”, like your nose, throat or eyes, it’s likely you are experiencing an allergic reaction rather than a virus. Michael Benninger, MD, an ear, nose, and throat specialist at Cleveland Clinic, also says that you’re most likely experiencing allergies if your mucus is clear or watery, and stays clear, instead of becoming thick or discolored like it can with a cold.
If you have allergies, you may be allergic to only one type or a few types of pollen. This explains why, for some people, their allergy symptoms are the worst in the early spring, whereas others experience it mostly in those late summer months. It also depends on where you live. In general, allergy season in Utah starts in February with tree pollen and dies out with the last of the weeds from the first hard frost. Unfortunately, Utah is particularly prone to allergens due to our notoriously hot, dry climate. Extended periods of warm weather accompanied by wind and low humidity provides the perfect condition for allergic irritants. In fact, Ogden, UT and Salt Lake City, UT are even amongst the 100 worst US cities for people with allergies!
In Utah, trees usually pollinate between February and May, grasses between May and July, and weeds from July until the first hard frost. That means that if you’re suffering from allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, you could be experiencing symptoms for quite a few months every year!
At the time of this writing it’s the middle of “grass allergy season” if you live in Utah (May) , so it’s helpful to know which types of grasses are most likely to cause your allergy symptoms. As a general rule, the brighter the plant, the less likely it is to be causing your allergies. Thankfully, Kentucky Bluegrass, the most common lawn grass in Utah, is not known to be highly allergenic and is not posted on the list of the most problematic plants for allergy sufferers. The Allergy Associates of Utah names the following grasses as having the highest pollen count:
Bermuda grass
Meadow fescue
Brome
Orchard grass
Wild oat
Timothy
Red top
Johnson
Rye
But don’t despair, you can still enjoy the wonderful spring and summer weather that Utah has to offer! We’ll share 10 Ways to Improve Your Allergy Symptoms in the next article, but you can get a head start right now! One major way to improve your allergy symptoms is by staying inside when there’s a high pollen count to minimize exposure to what’s triggering your allergy symptoms. However, this only helps if your indoor air is clean and free from allergens.
Whether you live in Salt Lake City, Utah County, Davis County, Park City or anywhere else along the Wasatch Front, we can help make sure that you breathe in the cleanest air possible while you’re at home. By having Crystal clean Vents clean the air-duct system of your Utah home you’ll avoid fostering a breeding ground for allergens and ensure the air filtering system in your home is working at peak performance. Call us at 801-561-0924 or fill out an inquiry form by clicking the button below!