Summer has officially ended, and so have the allergies that were related to the warmer weather.  Why, then, are you still suffering?  The answer may be: Fall Allergies. 

Although fall allergy triggers may be slightly different, they can produce the same miserable feelings you may be used to from your spring culprits.  During the fall season, the biggest allergy trigger is ragweed.  This yellow-flowering weed usually starts pollinating in August, but it can hang around well into the fall season.  According to an article from WebMD, approximately three-fourths of people who are allergic to spring pollen-producing plants are also allergic to ragweed.  Even if ragweed doesn’t grow in your area, it can travel hundreds of miles on the wind, thus causing your allergic symptoms.  

Other fall allergies may include both dust mites and mold.  Dust mites tend to get stirred up into the air the first time you turn on your furnace, and can cause symptoms such as sneezing, wheezing, and a runny nose.  Mold allergies tend to increase in the fall due to the damp weather.  The large piles of leaves that have been evident in your neighborhood can be a breeding ground for mold, as well as damp basements and bathrooms in your home.

Here are a few tips for easing fall allergy symptoms:

1. Stay indoors when pollen is at its peak (10 am-3 pm) to avoid exposure to your triggers.  Keep the doors and windows closed.
2. Have your heating ducts cleaned prior to turning your furnace on for the first time.  This can remove the particles of mold and other allergens that may be trapped in the vents.
3. Use a high efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA) in your heating system to help remove pollen, mold, and other allergens from the air.
4. Wear a mask when you rake leaves to avoid inhaling mold spores that may be lurking in those growing piles.