Maryland State Wire

• Symptoms of fall allergies include runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes and nose, and dark circles under the eyes.
• In many areas of the U.S., ragweed pollen, the most common fall allergen, peaks in early to mid-September.
• There are many ways to combat fall allergies, both with over-the-counter medications and by seeing a physician.

As summer starts to cool off and turn into fall, it is important to keep in mind the allergies that come with the fall season. According to Dr. Manish Khanna of Capitol Breathe Free, allergy testing can be worth it for patients.  

“The techniques to test for allergies have gotten more patient-friendly, and less invasive,” Dr. Khanna told the Maryland State Wire. “In skin testing now, the needles that are used are very tiny and tolerated extremely well, I mean patients barely feel the prick whether it's on their shoulder or on their back. There’s also a blood test to look for allergens as well, but the preferred method really is to test the patient directly and to do skin testing.”

According to WebMD, fall allergies are different from the seasonal allergies that come with summer and spring, but can cause just as many symptoms. The biggest allergen for fall is typically ragweed, which starts to release pollen in August and can go through October. Roughly 75% of people allergic to spring plants also have reactions to ragweed, and ragweed pollen can travel hundreds of miles. Mold and dust mites are other common fall allergy triggers.

For those who struggle with fall allergies, it is recommended to remain indoors late morning or midday when pollen is at its peak. It is also recommended that people clean their heating vents before turning on the heat for the first time as the weather starts to cool, as bits of mold and pollen can get stuck in heating vents over the summer. People can also use a dehumidifier and wear a mask when raking leaves.

The 50 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies might experience sneezing, coughing, congestion, itchy eyes, a runny nose, and fatigue, according to Yale Medicine. People who need to undergo testing for allergies typically have two options. For a skin test, the doctor will place a small amount of the allergen on the patient's skin, typically on the forearm or back. If the patient is allergic to that particular allergen, a small, itchy bump will appear. The other option is a blood test, during which the patient's blood is drawn and tested for allergens in a lab. Although this testing method takes longer, it allows doctors to test for more allergens than during a skin test.

According to Capitol Breathe Free's website, Dr. Manish Khanna earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The following year, he completed postgraduate research at the National Institutes of Health. In 2002, he obtained his medical degree from Albany Medical College. where he later completed both his surgical internship and residency, serving as chief resident until 2007. After his residency, he pursued a fellowship in rhinology, specializing in advanced endoscopic sinus surgery, at the California Sinus Institute in Palo Alto, California. He completed this fellowship and achieved board certification in otolaryngology—head and neck surgery in 2008 before returning to the D.C. metro area