Mold Allergies & Allergic Rhinitis: What can you do to prevent them?

Is there a link between seasonal allergic rhinitis and a mold allergy?

Mold allergy suffers know all to well when they are around mold spores. Their eyes begin to water and their nose begins to run. Soon they begin to feel the pressure build in their sinuses. If they do not get away from the mold spores their mold allergy will cause them to have a pounding, throbbing, painful sinus headache.

Why do Mold Allergies Occur?

If you suffer from a mold allergy, your immune system has incorrectly identified mold spores as a substance that is harmful to your body. The response of your immune system is to produce antibodies called immunoglobulin that will create chemicals that will ward off these potentially damaging substances. The result is symptoms like sneezing, wheezing, watery eyes, dry scratchy throat and itching.

In the case of a mold allergy, the mold spores are airborne and inhaled into the lungs. This is why nasal congestion, coughs and sinus headaches are common complaints of mold allergy sufferers. The incidence of symptoms from a mold allergy will be dependent on the abundance of the allergen and the ability of the air currents to spread the spores. These factors can be affected by changes in weather patterns throughout the day, making mold counts somewhat ineffective in determining the severity of the allergen exposure.

Treating Mold Allergies

Because mold allergies are airborne, they will most often result in the symptoms of rhinitis, which will include nasal congestion, watery eyes and coughing. The best treatment for rhinitis is generally an over-the-counter antihistamine, decongestant or nasal spray to treat the inflammation and congestion.

If over-the-counter medications are not effective in treating your mold allergy symptoms, it may be time to see your allergy doctor for a possible prescription relief for your mold allergy. There are a number of medicines that your doctor can prescribe to treat your mold allergies through the use of prescription antihistamines and steroidal nasal sprays that will reduce the inflammation in your sinus passages.

Allergies to molds and other airborne allergens can cause seasonal or even year-round rhinitis, depending on which allergens affect you. The good news is that there are many options in treating these allergies to allow you more symptom-free days and a higher quality of life.

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