Grass allergies

The culprit of grass allergies is pollen, which is fine powder that consists of pollen grains. Pollen can be produced in large quantities by the male sperm cells of seed plants which are attempting to reach the pistil of a female plant. When released, pollen is often carried through the air for a period of several hours to several days.

What are allergies?

The immune system is responsible for an allergic reaction. What happens is that the immune system responds to a false alarm, attacking the harmless pollens that enter the body through the nose and mouth. In essence, the immune system is oversensitive, producing unneeded antibodies to attack the allergen.

Grass species associated with allergies

Although there are over 1,000 species of grass in the US, only a few produce allergenic pollen. These include Kentucky bluegrass, Bermuda grass, Johnson grass, Timothy grass, Orchard grass, and Redtop grass. Because pollen has the ability to travel long distances when it is airborne, it helps very little to remove the grass from a particular area.

Those allergic to grass are often said to have hay fever, which is a common seasonal nasal allergy (taking its name from haying season). Grasses such as Rye and Timothy are commonly associated with hay fever. 90 percent of those afflicted with hay fever are allergic to grass pollen. Weed and tree pollen allergies can also cause hay fever.

Who gets them

Allergies are most common in children, although people can develop them at any age. Studies have proven that people who are in their 60s or 70s, and have never had allergies before, can still develop them. Gender, age, and race are not factors in determining who gets allergies; however, they do tend to run in some families. This can mean that there is a genetic component to those that get them.

Allergy symptoms

Sufferers of grass allergies, including hay fever, may have some or all of the following symptoms, which vary greatly from person to person: Coughing, sneezing, headache, runny nose, itchy nose, throat, mouth, eyes and skin, tearing eyes, sore throat, wheezing, fever, nasal congestion, and conjunctivitis.

Diagnosing grass allergies

There are several ways to go about finding out if you are allergic to grass in your area. Providing a doctor with the history of symptoms is one of the first steps. The most common allergy test that is conducted is a skin test. Skin testing can involve intradermal, patch, or scratch tests. In these, a small amount of the potential grass culprit is introduced to the skin. A strong negative reaction to this amounts to proof of an allergy.

For those that cannot undergo skin tests, there are also blood tests available. A RAST blood test is one type commonly used.

Fighting off grass allergies

If you suffer from grass allergies, there are a number of things you can do to protect yourself and lessen your symptoms. Here are some great tips:

• Try to avoid exposure to grass pollen. One can do this by staying indoors and using an air conditioner, rather than leaving windows open. Pollen counts are higher in the morning, so try to avoid the outdoors if possible.

• Wash hands and face regularly. Grass pollen often enters the system through the nose. Keeping hands and face clean will minimize the amount that is present.

• Use a humidifier. Humidifiers are great for cleaning allergens out of the air. Air purifiers can also be beneficial.

• Try meds. There are numerous medications on the market which can relieve symptoms. These include antihistamines, nasal sprays, decongestants, and other products, such as Claritin, that boast allergy relief.