February is upon us, and the Florida oak and tree pollen season is in full swing. Many people have allergic symptoms during oak pollen season, which will last until about the end of May. These allergies can be troublesome for many people, but for patients with asthma this allergy can come with some additional complications.
Oak and other tree pollens circulates through the air in Tampa from about February to May. It is very difficult to completely avoid oak pollen in the area. You could encounter it just walking to your car. Because of this, it is very important to identify and manage allergic symptoms. Your allergist can get you tested, help you identify and treat symptoms, and let you know when to seek additional help.
When asthma patients encounter an allergen that triggers allergies, it can also trigger an asthma attack. If you have asthma and oak pollen allergies, your airways will be constantly inflamed during the tree pollen season. When you encounter an allergen like oak pollen, your already inflamed airways become more irritated. This can cause the inflammation to worsen, which can cause the airways to tighten or spasm. This can lead to symptoms of coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.
The management for oak pollen allergy with asthma involves multiple approaches. Your allergist will treat your asthma with inhalers and other medications as needed. Additionally, any associated nasal and eye symptoms from pollen allergies should be treated. The upper and lower airways are connected so uncontrolled nasal symptoms can worsen asthma symptoms as well. Immunotherapy, or allergy shots, may also help.
If you are suffering from more frequent asthma flares this spring, it could be because you have an oak or tree pollen allergy triggering the attacks. Contact us today for more information or to schedule your appointment.
