Do you also get allergies during this time of year? Let's find out for sure!

Do you sometimes sneeze as soon as you wake up in the morning? Do your nose get blocked, your eyes run red and itchy? Have you ever felt that these discomforts increase, especially during the flowering season or on days when it is very sunny? More people than you think have experienced this. In medical terms, we call this condition an allergy. While this may be a minor thing for some, it can be a major disruption to the daily life of others. So today, let's talk about what these allergies are, why they only appear at certain times, and what we can do about it.

Simply put, what is an allergy?

Think of our body as a fortress. To protect this fortress, there is an army called the 'Immune System'. The job of this army is to identify and fight against harmful substances that enter the body, such as viruses and bacteria.

But, sometimes our army makes a small mistake. They mistake normal things in the environment (for example, pollen, house dust, etc.) that are actually harmless to our bodies for a big enemy. At this point, this army starts a big battle against that 'innocent enemy'. As a result of that battle, we get symptoms like sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose, and sometimes skin rashes.

"Seasonal" allergies and year-round allergies

Does your allergy only occur during certain times of the year? Or is it present year-round? The answer to this question will help you determine what triggers your allergy.

Seasonal Allergies

These are the ones that most people have. The best example of this is Hay Fever. This occurs when certain things in the environment, especially pollen from plants, are added to the air. In our context in Sri Lanka, these periods can be as follows:

• Dry, windy weather: During very dry and windy weather, dust and dry tree and leaf particles, as well as pollen from various plants, are carried by the wind. When these reach the nose, allergies can develop.
• Flowering season: Especially around the time of year, when trees like mango and cashew are in bloom, the amount of pollen in the air increases. Some people can develop allergies when they inhale this pollen.
• Grass Flowering Season: Even when some grasses are in bloom, pollen like this can accumulate in the air and cause allergies.

Perennial Allergies

If your symptoms are present year-round, with no seasonal effect, and are especially worse when you're indoors, one of these things is likely the cause.

• Dust mites: These are tiny insects that are invisible to the naked eye. They live by feeding on dead skin cells in our bedding, pillows, mattresses, sofas, and carpets. It is their droppings that cause allergies.
• Pets: If you have a pet like a dog or cat at home, you may be allergic to the tiny particles that fall off their skin (pet dander), saliva, and proteins in their urine, rather than their fur.
• Mold: Mold can grow in damp areas of the home, such as bathrooms, under the kitchen sink, and poorly ventilated closets. The spores of this mold can become airborne and cause allergies.

How do you find the exact cause of your allergy?

Knowing exactly what I'm allergic to is the most important step before seeking treatment. There's something simple you can do for yourself: keep a 'symptom diary' .

Get a small notebook and write down the following every day your allergies worsen:

• What time of day did you get symptoms?
• Were you inside or outside the house at that time?
• What were you doing? (e.g. cleaning the house, working in the garden)
• What was the weather like that day? (e.g. very sunny, windy, rainy)
• Did you eat something new? Did you go somewhere new?

After two or three weeks like this, you will be able to recognize a pattern. In addition, this information will be very useful to a doctor when he or she visits you.

You can get another idea from the table below.

When should you see a doctor?

An allergy is usually not life-threatening. However, sometimes it can be so bothersome that it makes it difficult to carry out daily activities. There are a few situations in which you should definitely see your family doctor:

• If your symptoms are severe and last throughout the day.
• If this is interfering with your sleep, work, or schoolwork .
• If over-the-counter medicine from the pharmacy does not provide relief.
• If you have asthma along with allergies (allergies can make asthma worse).
• If you want to find out exactly what you're allergic to.

The doctor will ask you about your symptoms and whether anyone in your family has allergies. The 'symptom diary' you keep will be very important here. If necessary, a skin prick test or blood test may be recommended to confirm the exact cause.

Allergies, allergies, sneezing, hay fever, pollen, dust, seasonal allergies