- Congestion and Sinus Pressure. You may have a stuffy nose due to enlarged or inflamed turbinate’s. In addition, inflammation or irritation of the sinuses may lead to sinus headaches and/or pressure, which can disability for some patients.
- Runny nose and Sneezing. People with tree pollen allergies may experience sneezing and a runny nose at the same time. A runny nose often results in a post-nasal drip. Children can develop a semi-permanent crease along their noses from constantly rubbing the tips of their runny noses upward—a maneuver affectionately termed the allergic salute!
- Itchy and Watery Eyes. Your eyes may be inflamed, itchy and red. There might also be “crust” (dried eye mucus) along your eyelids.
- Coughing or Sore Throats. Allergies to tree pollen may also cause you to experience a scratchy, sore throat. The discomfort can be due to inflammation, post-nasal drip or both.
- Dark Circles under the Eyes. You might also notice dark circles and bags under your eyes. These are sometimes called allergic shiners and are due to congested blood vessels associated with nasal inflammation.
Tree pollen can also trigger other medical conditions such as, asthma, making breathing difficult and leading to coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
While these symptoms may seem mild at first, over time they can cause progressive impairment of quality of life, work and sleep. More severe reactions may occur in people with asthma and other respiratory problems.
In addition to the above symptoms, some of our patients report feeling as if they have the flu for months and just feel physically drained. Tree pollen allergies are also described like a bad cold that just won’t go away. Some patients will experience benefits with traditional allergy medications, while other patients may require allergy shots for tree pollen.
As always, I wish you well and good health.
Regards,
David H. Tottori, M.D.