Sneezing, stuffy nose, coughing and watering eyes are all symptoms of outdoor allergies. The difficulty is finding the culprit for your discomfort. Many outdoor allergies are caused by some type of pollen. This could be coming from a tree, grass, weed or even a combination of plants. During the fall, pollen particles from trees, grass and weeds are floating through the air. Ordinarily, spring has the highest pollen count for trees and grasses, while weeds produce pollen through the fall season. As the weather turns colder, many people are finally finding relief from outdoor allergies. When the ground freezes and stays frozen, plants enter a dormancy stage and are no longer producing pollen and allergy symptoms should subside.
Tree varieties that are most often the cause of pollen allergy symptoms in the Midwest are Oak, Ash, Elm, Hickory, Birch, Box Elder, Sycamore, Maple, Cottonwood, Walnut and Beech trees. Because pollen can be carried long distances through the air, the cause of discomfort could be just about anywhere in the neighborhood and not necessarily in your yard. This fall season was particularly hard for many people that suffer from allergy symptoms. The lack of rain in the Chicago area kept pollen floating in the air longer and the warmer temperatures extended the season.
If you do suffer from outdoor allergies and venture outside, click here to find out the pollen count for the Chicago area. Keep in mind records are only kept through mid-fall. To determine the exact cause of your allergies, consult an allergy specialist. They can prescribe treatment for your relief.
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