Print Article
Achoo! Ragweed Season Is Here
Ragweed season has arrived, as it usually does in late summer each year. Pollen counts are high, particularly in the Northeast and Midwest. The predominant pollens right now are from ragweed and nettle plants, and pollen-producing grasses.
Up to 20 percent of Americans suffer from ragweed allergy, sometimes called hay fever, with symptoms of nasal congestion, sneezing, eye irritation and itchy eyes, nose and throat.
If you’ve been diagnosed with ragweed allergy, it is best to try to avoid exposure to the pollen. You can track your local pollen counts through weather reports or online. When pollen counts are high, staying indoors with air-conditioning can be helpful. Air conditioning with a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) has been shown to remove pollen from indoor air.
Antihistamines may be helpful for reducing allergy symptoms. Decongestants can help ease nasal stuffiness, but there are some medical conditions where you may want to avoid them because of potential side effects. People with a history of narrow-angle glaucoma, poorly controlled high blood pressure or coronary artery disease should not use decongestants. Steroid nasal sprays and anticholinergic nasal allergy sprays also both help with nasal congestion.
Other options to treat allergic symptoms are medications called leukotriene inhibitors or mast cell inhibitors. Talk with your health care provider to get recommendations for which type of allergy medications may be best for you.
Laura J Martin, MD, MPH
Medical Editor, WebMD
Welcome to WebMD Community 
WebMD Pregnancy Community 
WebMD Parenting Community
Comments
Leave a comment