Winter Allergies and How to Avoid Them

There are many reasons why people choose to live in Florida, but avoiding allergies may not be one of them since the Sunshine State delivers year-round allergens. If you have seasonal allergies that tend to flare during the relatively colder months of winter, you’re not alone.

As part of our wide range of services, the team at Soffer Health Institute, led by Dr. Ariel Soffer, offers allergy services to help our clients breathe a little easier year-round.

Here, we explore what may be causing your allergies to flare during winter and how you can best avoid those triggers.

Potential winter allergens

Since we enjoy relatively mild temperatures year-round, as well as abundant sunshine, growing season never really takes a break, which means pollen is always present.

One of the biggest culprits of pollen allergies is ragweed, which is both plentiful and native to Florida. Of the 17 different species of ragweed, three are found in Florida. No matter which species, this plant is one of the biggest drivers of seasonal rhinitis, or hay fever, because it gives off so much pollen.

Another culprit is mold, which loves nothing more than warm, humid environments, which can certainly describe Florida.

The final pollen culprit is cedar elm, a tree that lines many streets in Florida.

Winter allergies also include those indoor allergens that more people come into contact with as cooler temperatures and shorter days means spending more time inside the house. 

These allergens include:

• Dust mites
• Pet dander
• Cockroach droppings
• Mold

Since you’re spending more time indoors during winter, your exposure to these allergens increases.

Managing winter allergies

There are several ways you can better manage winter allergies. For example, it’s important to keep your home as clean and allergen-free as possible. This means:

• Regularly washing your bedding
• Using dehumidifiers to offset mold
• Cleaning pets often
• Closing windows on high-pollen days
• Installing a HEPA air filtration unit in your house

If you’re heading outdoors, be sure to check the pollen count for the day to see if ragweed or other plants will be problematic. If you do head out on a high-pollen day, leave your clothes in the laundry room when you come back in and take a quick shower to rinse off any pollen that may be sticking to your skin.

Getting treatment for winter allergies

One of the most important preventive and management steps you can take is to come see us so we can identify your allergens. Once we know what may be bothering you, we can treat the allergy through immunotherapy and supply you with medications to help manage your symptoms.

As well, we can sit down with you to come up with a trigger avoidance plan to help you breathe easier during every season.

If you want relief from your winter allergies, contact one of our offices in Aventura, or Weston, Florida, to set up an appointment.