Connecticut Allergy Season: Peak, Timing, and Symptoms

Allergies are a common problem that many people experience, including residents and visitors to Connecticut. During Connecticut allergy season, residents may experience sneezing, itchy eyes, and a runny nose due to allergens in the air. These allergens can include pollen from trees, grasses, and weeds, and mold and dust mites.

In this article, we discuss the peak timing of Connecticut’s allergy season, as well as the most common symptoms. We also provide tips on how to manage and prevent allergy symptoms. This way, you can enjoy the beautiful Connecticut weather without being held back by allergies. And if you have pets, we’ve got your back. We give you a few tips for preventing, recognizing, and treating your pet’s allergy symptoms.

What are Allergies?

Allergies happen when your body’s immune system reacts to allergens. These include pollen, animal dander, insect stings, or certain foods or chemicals. Allergies create annoying symptoms like sneezing, coughing, itchy red eyes, rashes, hives, and other symptoms. They can make asthma symptoms worse and attacks more frequent. Other complications can include sinusitis – an inflammation of the sinuses – ear infections or skin infections. The worst-case scenario is anaphylaxis, in which a severely allergic person reacts with restricted breathing and lowered blood pressure. This can be fatal.

When is Connecticut Allergy Season?

Connecticut’s climate is considered “humid continental,” which means warm summers and cold winters. Forests in Connecticut are deciduous, with oak, maple, and birch among the most common species. There are some coniferous forests as well. At the lower elevations near the coast are wetlands and salt marshes. Here are the peaks of some of the most common allergens in Connecticut.

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• Early spring is tree pollen season, which peaks in April and May. Oak, birch, and maple are the main culprits.
• Late spring, especially June and July, is grass pollen season. Bermuda, timothy, and orchard grass are some of the local species.
• From late summer until the first frost, ragweed pollinates. It peaks in August and September.
• All year round, mold, dust mites, and pet dander can aggravate allergies indoors.

From year to year and even day to day, Connecticut allergy season can differ in its timing and severity. Much depends on the weather conditions, such as temperature, humidity, wind velocity and direction, and more. Particularly dry years can enable more pollen to become airborne and travel further distances. At times of greater precipitation, molds flourish and release more allergy-provoking spores.

Ways to Test for Allergies

There are several ways to test for allergies, including:

1. Skin prick test: This is the most common type of allergy test. A small amount of an allergen is placed on the skin, usually on the arm or back. Then the skin is pricked with a small needle. If you are allergic to the substance, a red, raised bump (called a wheal) will appear at the test site.
2. Blood test: A blood test called the RAST (radioallergosorbent test) can measure the levels of specific antibodies. These are associated with allergies. This test can be useful for people who are unable to have a skin test or who have severe eczema.
3. Patch test: A patch test is used to test for allergies to substances that come into contact with the skin. These include nickel and poison ivy. A small patch containing the allergen is applied to the skin and left in place for 48 hours. If you are allergic to the substance, redness, itching, or a rash will appear at the test site.

A positive test result for an allergen only means that you have developed antibodies to that allergen. It does not predict the severity of symptoms you may experience. Also, some people may test positive for an allergen but never experience symptoms. On the other hand, a negative test result does not necessarily rule out an allergy. Sometimes, skin tests and blood tests may be negative, but a person may still have an allergic reaction.

Allergy Symptoms Without Allergies

So, what if you have allergy symptoms but your test results say you’re not allergic to anything? It’s possible that the test only checks for the most common allergies. You might need another test to check for less common allergies. But it’s also possible that you don’t have an allergy at all. Instead, you might have something called non-allergic rhinitis.

Non-allergic rhinitis is when you have symptoms, but they’re not caused by an allergy. Many things can cause this. These include a cold, being around smoke or strong scents, changes in hormones, or even some medicines. Sometimes, the shape of your nose can also cause non-allergic rhinitis. A medical professional can diagnose this by doing tests to make sure you don’t have an allergy. Treatments can include taking medicine like antihistamines, decongestants, or nasal sprays. Avoid things that make it worse. In some cases, a person may need surgical intervention to fix issues with the shape of your nose.

Preventing and Treating Allergies

The first way to combat allergies is to avoid allergens. Keeping track of high pollen days announced in local media or online can help you plan your activities to avoid going outside as much on those days. You might also want to wear a mask when you go outside and shower and change clothes after spending time outdoors during peak pollen season. You’ll want to keep your house clean of dust, pollen, and pet dander with frequent vacuuming and dusting. Keeping your windows shut and using air conditioning and an air purifier can help filter allergens out of your home’s air. You can help alleviate dust mite allergies by washing bedding in hot water. If pet dander bothers you, consider restricting your pets to particular areas of the house and asking other family members to take on pet care responsibilities.

Medical interventions can include using antihistamines, decongestants, or nasal sprays. It can help to start taking these proactively before allergy season gets to its worst. If allergies severely interfere with your life, you might want to invest in immunotherapy, which involves receiving periodic injections of small amounts of allergens to help your body build up immunity.

Best Over-The-Counter Allergy Treatments

Many people medicate mild to moderate allergy symptoms themselves with over-the-counter medications. Antihistamines and decongestants can be safe and effective, but generic versions of brand-name medications can perform just as well at a fraction of the cost. Check out the links below to some generics that have the same active ingredients as some popular allergy medications.

Amazon Basic Care Loratadine Antihistamine

• Long-lasting relief from allergy symptoms
• Non-drowsy formula
• Active ingredient is the antihistamine Loratadine (10 mg)
• 24-hour allergy relief

Check Amazon

ValuMeds 24-Hour Allergy Medicine

• 24-hour allergy relief
• Works for pollen, hay fever, dry eyes, itchy eyes
• Main ingredient is Cetirizine HCl

Check Amazon

ValuMeds Antihistamine, Diphenhydramine HCl 25 mg

• 600 tablets
• Active ingredient: Diphenhydramine HCl 25 mg
• Suitable for Children and Adults
• Relieves Itchy Eyes, Runny Nose, Sneezing

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HealthCareAisle Allergy Relief - Fexofenadine Hydrochloride

• Active ingredient: Fexofenadine Hydrochloride
• 90 tablets of 180 mg
• Non-Drowsy
• 24-Hour Allergy Relief

Check Amazon

What if Your Pet Has Allergies?

Pets can get allergies just like people do. Some common types of allergies in pets are food allergies, environmental allergies, and flea allergies. Symptoms of allergies in pets can vary but some common ones include itching, scratching, biting or licking their skin, losing hair, having red or irritated skin, respiratory problems, diarrhea, or vomiting. Treating pet allergies might require medication, dietary or environmental changes, or even immunotherapy.

Can Pets Take Human Allergy Medicine?

Some human allergy medicines are safe and effective for pets, but not all. Some can be toxic, and some that might work for dogs can be toxic to cats. It’s essential to consult with your veterinarian about the right diagnosis and dosing for your pet based on its species, other medical conditions, size, and weight. We hope this article will help you be aware and prepared to handle allergy season in Connecticut for you, your family, and your pets.

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