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Grass Allergies - Relief for Summer
By Paul Free, M.D.
Summer is here! For most everyone, summer means warm weather and green grass. However, for many people summer also means itchy eyes, runny nose and sneezing due to grass allergies.
Grass pollen can be a major allergy concern in Georgia. This category of allergens is very large and includes everything from the typical landscaping grasses to crops likes wheat, corn and rye. Grass pollens are the most potent allergen known, and are highly allergenic even at very low levels. In the Southeast, grass pollens may be found the majority of the year and are most prevalent beginning in the spring and continuing through the fall.
Grass pollen levels can be affected by temperature, time of day, and rain. Of the 1,200 species of grasses that grow in North America, only a small percentage of these cause allergies.
Some of the most common grasses that cause allergies are:
• Bermuda grass
• Johnson grass
• Fescue grass
• Rye grass
These grasses are popular in Georgia and are commonly used in landscaping.
Preventive Strategies
• Consider having someone else mow your lawn. If you must mow the lawn yourself, wear a mask and goggles.
• Taking an antihistamine 1 hour before mowing will also help. (Check with your doctor before taking any medications)
• Shower immediately after finishing your yard work. This will rinse the pollen off your skin and out of your hair.
• Keep grass cut short. Grass pollenates when it gets taller.
• Avoid the outdoors between 5 and 10 am when pollen counts are at the highest.
• Keep windows in your home and car closed to lower exposure to pollen.
• Be aware that pollen can be brought indoors on people and pets. Take a shower before going to bed to wash off allergens from your skin and hair.
Summer is here! For most everyone, summer means warm weather and green grass. However, for many people summer also means itchy eyes, runny nose and sneezing due to grass allergies.
Grass pollen can be a major allergy concern in Georgia. This category of allergens is very large and includes everything from the typical landscaping grasses to crops likes wheat, corn and rye. Grass pollens are the most potent allergen known, and are highly allergenic even at very low levels. In the Southeast, grass pollens may be found the majority of the year and are most prevalent beginning in the spring and continuing through the fall.
Grass pollen levels can be affected by temperature, time of day, and rain. Of the 1,200 species of grasses that grow in North America, only a small percentage of these cause allergies.
Some of the most common grasses that cause allergies are:
• Bermuda grass
• Johnson grass
• Fescue grass
• Rye grass
These grasses are popular in Georgia and are commonly used in landscaping.
Preventive Strategies
• Consider having someone else mow your lawn. If you must mow the lawn yourself, wear a mask and goggles.
• Taking an antihistamine 1 hour before mowing will also help. (Check with your doctor before taking any medications)
• Shower immediately after finishing your yard work. This will rinse the pollen off your skin and out of your hair.
• Keep grass cut short. Grass pollenates when it gets taller.
• Avoid the outdoors between 5 and 10 am when pollen counts are at the highest.
• Keep windows in your home and car closed to lower exposure to pollen.
• Be aware that pollen can be brought indoors on people and pets. Take a shower before going to bed to wash off allergens from your skin and hair.
Grass allergies can cause significant symptoms that may not be controlled with medications and avoidance alone. If you suspect that you have grass allergies, you should be allergy tested.