x
Breaking News
More () »

Are fall allergies worse this year? It might be something else

St. Louisans are plagued with stuffy noses this season. It could be allergies, but it could be something else.

ST. LOUIS — Fall is allergy season's last hoorah.

"Sometimes it's not so easy to tell the difference between allergy symptoms and cold symptoms," Dr. Jeffrey Tillinghast an Allergist at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital tells 5 On Your Side. 

Isn't that the truth, especially this time of year?

But if you've never had allergies before, it's probably a cold. If you are a frequent allergy sufferer, there are probably a few culprits.

Dr. Tillinghast said ragweed is common in the fall and mold is common year-round.

SSM Health Otolaryngologist Dr. Joe Brunsworth said there is one allergen that sneaks up on you in the fall. 

"People that are allergic to dust mites are now putting on their sweaters and jackets that have been just sitting in their closet for the whole summer and they're not realizing that they're carrying around what they are allergic to all day," Dr. Brunsworth said.

There is an easy fix to the dust mite problem, wash your fall and winter clothes and use plastic dry cleaner bags. 

"I highly recommend that at the end of the season you put them back into the plastic sleeve so all summer you aren't collecting dust," Dr. Brunsworth said.

Dr. Tillinghast said there are specific symptoms that are almost always allergies and not similar to COVID-19, cold or flu. 

"Most of the time you don't have a lot of itching with COVID or viral symptoms," Dr. Tillinghast said.

If you have itchy eyes, nose or ears, Tillinghast strongly suspects your symptoms are allergy related. 

"People rub their ears because the pollen can get trapped on your ear wax and you get itchy ears," Tillinghast said.

If you don't have any itchiness, test for COVID and treat your symptoms like you would a cold.

Before You Leave, Check This Out