New publications
Where do allergies catch up in the fall?
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Surely many people know about allergies that visit people with the arrival of spring, but few have heard about autumn allergies. But they still exist.
Allergy to ragweed
In the autumn period, some plants continue to reproduce. One of these representatives that causes allergic reactions is ragweed, which continues to "delight" allergy sufferers until November. Approximately three quarters of people who are subject to allergic reactions to pollen suffer from an allergy to the flowering of this plant.
With the onset of cold weather, the risk of colds increases, but some symptoms, such as sneezing and runny nose, may indicate not a cold, but an allergic reaction to ragweed. In addition, the constant companions of an allergy to this plant are itching in the nasopharynx and eyes, coughing and watery eyes.
If you have such an opportunity, it is better to go closer to the sea, where you will be away from the irritant and breathe fresh air.
[ 1 ]
Pet allergies
The problem is quite common and is gaining momentum. Scientists explain this by the fact that there is a significant increase in families acquiring pets. People who have grown to love their four-legged friends find it very difficult to part with them, but this is inevitable.
About 15% of the population suffers from allergic reactions to cats and dogs, and most often to cats. Many people think that the cause of such intolerance is the hair that is everywhere. However, in fact, the culprits of sneezing and runny nose in humans are saliva and protein secreted by the sebaceous glands and dead skin cells of the animal. This protein is so microscopic that it cannot be removed with a vacuum cleaner, its tiny particles float in the air, landing on a person's eyes and nose, thereby irritating the mucous membrane and causing allergic reactions.
Dust is also a common allergen.
If you sneezed while cleaning, do not think that dust got into your respiratory tract - the culprit is a dust mite, which is an inhabitant of the bed (blankets, pillows, mattresses, feather beds, sofas, etc.) and especially likes to live in the closet. The dust mite's favorite delicacy is the scales of the horny layer of the skin, which make up 80% of house dust. No matter how closely you look, you will not be able to see the mite with the naked eye - its size is about 0.1-0.3 mm. The allergen that causes all the sneezing and runny nose is the feces of the dust mite.
Despite the fact that these creatures live in every home, they do not cause an allergic reaction in everyone, but only in those people who are predisposed to it. The reason for this may be low immunity or genetic predisposition. The symptoms of "dust" allergy are the same as those of pollen allergy.
Doctors recommend that people suffering from allergies use second-generation antihistamines, such as Claritin or Zyrtec, which block histamine receptors and prevent allergies from ruining a person's life.
Histamine is a biologically active substance that affects the organs and tissues of the body through special formations - histamine receptors, and is one of the reasons for the development of allergy symptoms.