What's triggering your allergies?

If you have allergies, this means that your immune system is hypersensitive to specific substances or triggers, which leads to a misdirected immune response -- your symptoms of sniffling and sneezing as your body attempts to fight off the perceived invaders.

If this sounds like you, work with your healthcare professional to come up with an effective treatment plan that helps control or abort this overreaction.

One of the most important steps in controlling your nasal allergies is to reduce your exposure to the substances that cause them -- your triggers.
Figure Your Triggers
A trigger is anything that causes an allergy attack. You may have one or several different allergy triggers. You can determine your triggers based on experience, or your healthcare provider can arrange for allergy testing. Keep in mind that it may not be possible to find what's causing your symptoms.

To help your doctor determine what you might be allergic to, keep track of your symptoms in a journal. Note the time of year your attacks typically occur, the time of day your allergies are at their worst, what your symptoms are, and what activities or exposures precede your attacks. Eventually, you should see a pattern.

Common Triggers
One of the most common nasal allergy triggers is pollen -- it can cause symptoms of seasonal allergies, or so-called hay fever. Wind-pollinated trees, grasses, and weeds, such as ragweed, are the primary sources of pollen allergens. Ragweed pollen is a very common allergen, affecting 75% of allergy sufferers, but any grasses or trees that produce pollen can trigger allergic reactions.

However, if your allergies are perrenial, they may be caused by exposure to year-round substances, such as molds, dust mites, or animal dander.

Avoiding Your Triggers
Once you identify your triggers, it's important to avoid them as much as possible to control your symptoms and prevent flare-ups.

If you have seasonal allergies, your healthcare provider will probably recommend that you reduce outdoor activities on days when pollen counts are high.
If you have perennial allergies, your healthcare provider will explain how to reduce your exposure to the year-round allergen that triggers your attacks. This may involve vacuuming your house with a special vacuum, changing your bedding frequently, cleaning your house more frequently, or controlling the climate in your home with humidifiers or dehumidifiers.

Avoiding your triggers completely is not always possible, so it is likely your healthcare provider also will suggest medications to help control or prevent symptoms. Look for an upcoming issue of this series to describe self-care strategies for easing symptoms.