Fall is the best time to be outdoors in Austin. There are so many things to see and do. But it is also the terrible time for allergy sufferers because 3 important allergens dominate the air, sometimes on the same day. If you suffer one or more of these allergies, you already know how miserable they can make you feel. Symptoms vary from day-to-day, and can range from mild to severe. Symptoms include itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, runny nose, congestion, facial/sinus pressure, post-nasal drip and throat clearing and ear itching. You may also experience coughing and asthma flare-ups unfortunately. Then there’s the beginning of flu season . . . which certainly complicates things for many allergy sufferers.
1. Above is a photo of ragweeds. A single plant can produce up to a billion grains of pollen per season! (Photo by: Krzysztof Ziarnek Kenraiz – Own work, GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11217456)
2. Cedar elm (below) also known as fall elm, is somewhat unique in that it pollinates in the fall and the spring/early summer.
Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1013226
3. Alternaria mold (below) is one of the most important mold allergens and is especially problematic for patients with asthma.
By Ninjatacoshell – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6657666
Because of how bad these allergens can be, we offer same day and next day visits for urgent cases, and also offer Saturday morning consultations.
Please note, this is also a good time to start your winter cedar allergy drops, because you want to take them consistently for 3 months before the season for best results.
