Fall Pollens are Gone, but Winter is not Immune from Allergies

If you just survived the fall pollen season only to have a recurrence of your allergy symptoms in winter, you may be wondering what’s going on with your immune system.

For some people, winter may not present an escape from allergies at all. While spring and fall allergies may be primarily triggered by outdoor elements, year-round allergies may come from elements in your home. In order to avoid the cold, we tend to spend more time indoors where allergens are plentiful.

Here are the most common indoor allergy triggers that may be stirring up your winter allergies.

1. Pet Dander. Pet dander is composed of tiny flakes of skin shed by animals. If you have a furry pet at home, you can expect dander to be most everywhere–in the air you breathe, the furniture, the clothes you wear, etc. Though some dog and cat breeds are “hypo-allergenic,” there are no truly dander-free animals, and they may still stir up allergy symptoms.
2. Mold. Mold grows in damp, poorly-ventilated areas such as bathrooms and basements. In more moderate temperatures, you may be able to open windows to control mold growth, but that may not be possible in the cold of winter.  No house is mold-free, but you can mitigate mold by making sure the indoor humidity is within normal levels. Proper ventilation and regular cleaning are key.
3. Dust Mites. These are tiny bugs in the house that thrive on organic debris like sloughed-off skin flakes. They can be found in curtains, upholstered furniture, mattresses, carpets, etc. Replacing carpets with hardwood flooring and switching out curtains for blinds can help. Mattress and pillow covers can help, too.

An important things to remember is that if your allergies last for four or more months of the year, you may be a good candidate for physician-prescribed allergy immunotherapy. Consult AllergyEasy.com about physicians near you who offer no-shots, no-hassle allergy immunotherapy.