Though pollen counts tend to be higher in the spring, that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear when summer hits. Allergies can strike at any time, and the summer weather brings out new allergens.
If you continue to suffer from a stuffy, runny nose well into the warm summer months, then you might have summer allergies.
At MS Family Medicine Health Care PC, with New York City offices in Rosedale and Garden City, Michele Reed, DO, FAAFP, and our team of health experts focus on wellness and preventative care. Here, we want to share with you what you need to know about summer allergies and when you should consider allergy testing.
Allergies are an immune system reaction to a foreign substance your body considers harmful, even though it’s not harmful to most people. If you have allergies, it’s very likely that you may be allergic or sensitive to more than one substance.
Though you may not have to worry too much about tree pollen during the warmer months of the year, pollen from grass and weeds may trigger your allergy symptoms. Mold is also a common summer allergen thanks to the warm, humid weather.
Summer fruits, such as peaches or melons, may also trigger your allergies. Insect allergies, specifically bee sting allergies, may also occur more during the summer than at other times of the year.
If you have or suspect you have summer allergies, the only way to know for sure is to undergo allergy testing. There are two primary types of allergy testing:
We can refer you to an allergist for skin testing. During skin allergy testing, we prick your skin with the suspected allergen and wait for a reaction. If you develop a red, mosquito-like bump at the site of the skin prick, then it’s likely you’re allergic to that substance.
Skin allergy testing is safe and provides immediate and reliable results.
We also run blood work for allergy testing. Though this test takes longer to get results, it requires only one prick for the blood draw. We can test for multiple allergens with an allergy blood test.
Once we know what’s causing your summer allergies, our primary care specialists design a plan to keep your symptoms under control. The best way to get relief from your allergy symptoms is to avoid contact with the allergen.
However, it may be hard to avoid pollen and mold, especially since they can travel hundreds of miles in the summer wind. Allergy medication may be the best treatment to keep these types of allergies under control.
Additionally, we recommend keeping your windows closed and cleaning or replacing your air filters regularly to prevent the outdoor allergens from getting inside your house.
Don’t let your allergies keep you from living it up this summer. Let us help you get a jump on the summer allergy season with allergy testing. To learn more, book an appointment online or over the phone with MS Family Medicine Health Care PC today.
