Seasonal allergies, or hay fever, are something that millions of people across the country suffer from in the spring and fall months. It is something that can make anything from working outside to playing basketball with friends a little more difficult as the symptoms can leave you feeling run down. If you or someone in your family has been sneezing with a lot of congestion then you might be wondering if it could be seasonal allergies opposed to a simple cold.

Seasonal allergies are usually brought on when pollen or mold spores are released into the air. While you might think that this is something that is only going to affect people in rural areas where they are surrounded by plants and trees, it is unfortunately something that can affect city dwellers as well. If you're allergic to these substances then your body is going to release chemicals like histamines to try and battle what it believes to be something harmful. This is where you get the symptoms of hay fever. Some people think that there is one time of the year when seasonal allergies come up but this can change according to where your live and what kind of pollen or mold you are allergic to. If you're living in a the North then might be allergic to grass pollen from around May to June. Someone allergic to mold spores will feel the affects from midsummer to the beginning of fall.

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The symptoms of seasonal allergies are very similar to those of having a cold. You will usually have nasal congestion, sneezing and can have an itchy nose and throat. If you have an important work meeting coming up then you might be wondering what you can do to combat these symptoms. You can take an over the counter antihistamine or there are plenty of different homeopathic solutions. Some people choose to drink teas to help with their sore throat while others might use something like a Netipot to get all of the congestion out of their nose. Stopping the histamines from releasing, through natural or medicinal means, is usually going to be the most effective course of action.

If you would like to know which pollen or mold you are allergic to then you will need to get an allergy test done by your family doctor. This doesn't involve complicated equipment but does mean that you will have to get a series of injections. One of the best ways that you can fight this allergy is knowing what it is and avoiding your exposure as much as possible during your allergy season.