Allergies aren’t hibernating this winter

Thursday 31st December 2009

So, we’ve left summer behind and winter has really begun to take its hold; all you hay fever sufferers have breathed a sigh of relief as pollen takes a backseat. An allergy free winter you say? Alas, no. It appears all the allergens are also settling down in front of the fire through the winter and they haven’t gone into hibernation like we may have thought.

Leading allergy experts of New York – Presbyterian Hospital, Dr. David Resnick and Dr. Stefan Worgall have released interesting facts as to the conditions of allergies within our own homes this winter. Whilst winter does bring the end of suffering to many hay fever sufferers, it can increase runny noses, itchy eyes and so on in many allergy and asthma sufferers. The increased time indoors means increased exposure to dust mites, gas fumes, household sprays, pets, and even the Christmas tree can harbor things like mold spores which can cause allergic reactions.

If you do have an allergy to mold spores it can be problematic as there is no particular season for this allergy to thrive. It relies on oxygen and moisture to survive and these are all too available in most houses. Therefore, ensuring your humidity levels within your house are below 35% should help decrease the spread of these dust mites and mold spores.

Commonly, many of these allergies that are seen particularly in the winter are mistaken for the winter cold virus. Colds should only last for around a week with symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, fatigue and so on. Whereas allergy symptoms would be persistent for a longer period of time and will include things such as itchy eyes and clear secretions from the nose.

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