Adults can develop seasonal allergies

Adults can develop seasonal allergies after sidestepping symptoms for years.

People tend to think of allergies as a childhood thing and not something they can get later in life, explained Tolly Epstein, MD, an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati's College of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, in a recent article in The New York Times.

But “it’s very common to develop new allergies,” especially in your 20s, 30s and 40s, she said.

The symptoms aren’t always obvious. Most people with seasonal allergies will have sneezing, itchy eyes or nasal congestion. But those can also be accompanied by fatigue, a headache or sinus pressure. Epstein said those might be mistaken as cold symptoms.

Seasonal allergies are reactions to environmental elements including pollen or mold spores that tend to swirl around in the air during certain times of year, such as in the spring. When a person is allergic to something like pollen, the immune system perceives it as a threat and triggers a chain reaction at the point of exposure. Antibodies in the nose or lungs stimulate the release of chemicals like histamine, which can lead to the sneezing, runny nose or congestion.

Scientists aren’t exactly sure why new allergies or symptoms can develop without having them before, but there are several potential causes. For one, climate change is causing allergy season to start earlier and last longer, so it makes people more prone to developing symptoms, experts said.

Where a person lives and for how long may matter as well. For some people, moving to a new place can bring a reprieve, if they’re no longer exposed to the allergens that used to trigger their symptoms. But for others, it can introduce new problems.

Read about widely available treatments to alleviate symptoms.

Featured image at top: Unsplash.