Cedar fever, also referred to as allergic rhinitis, isn’t exactly what it sounds like. It’s not flu, and it’s not a virus — it’s an extreme allergy.
Cedar fever is common in areas with a lot of mountain cedar or juniper
trees. These trees release a large amount of allergy-causing pollen, and
it overwhelms the body.
Causes
One of the main causes of cedar fever is a high concentration of cedar pollen in the air. A small amount of the same pollen
wouldn’t have the same effect on your body. A lot of cedar pollen will
still give you symptoms even if you don't typically get allergies.
For
example, Central Texas is home to a high concentration of Ashe juniper
trees, which release pollen similar to cedar pollen. All of these trees
release pollen at the same time, so pollen overpowers the air and cedar
fever becomes very common.
Cedar
trees release a large quantity of pollen in the air and have unique
pollination patterns. Instead of pollinating in the spring -- like most
other trees -- cedar and Ashe juniper trees pollinate in the winter.
They release their pollen in the air immediately following a cold front.
Weather conditions at that time are perfect for the trees to lose all
their pollen at one time.
Symptoms
Cedar
fever symptoms are often confused with signs of a cold or flu. This is
because of the time of year when cedar fever is popular. If you have
cedar fever, you might experience these symptoms:
Cedar
fever shares symptoms with many common illnesses like flu. According to
healthcare providers, one of the ways to rule out other illnesses is by
looking at your mucus.
If your mucus is clear, you could have cedar fever or a viral infection
that causes a runny nose. But if the mucus is colored, you likely have
some other condition.
Some of these symptoms can be worse if you have pre-existing conditions like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),
or severe diabetes. If you get cedar fever and already have one of
these complicating conditions, contact your healthcare provider
immediately.
You should be on
the lookout for these symptoms anytime between November and March. But
cedar fever most often affects people in December, January, and
February. In addition to Texas, cedar trees are common in Oklahoma,
Missouri, Arizona, New Mexico, and some parts of Mexico and Japan.
Treatment
When
you have cedar fever, the mucous membranes that line your nose and
sinuses become agitated and inflamed. It’s an allergic reaction that
comes on very quickly.
You can treat your cedar fever just like you would treat any other allergy. Take allergy medicine or antihistamine medication.
When faced with an allergy, your body reacts to it by releasing
histamine to protect itself. Antihistamines stop or lessen the effects
of allergic reactions.
Nasal irrigation is
another option to treat your cedar fever. It is the process of draining
the mucus out of your nose by pouring saltwater into your nasal
passages. You can use a squeeze bottle, bulb syringe, or a neti pot for nasal irrigation. It helps flush out whatever is in your sinuses, including the cedar pollen that’s irritating you.
A
bioelectronic sinus device can also be effective. It works by using
microcurrents to stimulate nerve fibers in your sinuses to reduce
inflammation, pain, and congestion. It is sold over-the-counter.
If
these over-the-counter solutions don’t work for you, visit your
healthcare provider. They will prescribe a stronger solution, like
corticosteroids or anti-inflammatory medications, to cure your cedar
fever symptoms.
Because cedar fever is not
technically a treatable illness, your best option might be to steer
clear of cedar pollen. You can try to avoid spending time outside when
the pollen count is high. Local news stations and weather forecasts
typically predict when the cedar pollen will be most concentrated in the
air.
You can close all
windows and doors and stay indoors to prevent cedar fever. Also, you can
update air filters in your car and house to help keep cedar pollen at
bay. If you go outside, make sure you wear a face mask. After coming
home, wear new clothes and take a shower to remove any pollen you picked
up.
You might consider cutting your cedar or Ashe juniper trees
down, but this won’t help. Once cedar pollen is airborne, it can float
for miles, especially given the weather conditions mentioned earlier.
Cedar
fever can’t be prevented completely. But you can prevent intense
symptoms by staying indoors and taking measures to avoid cedar pollen.
If you think you have cedar fever and your symptoms are too intense to
manage at home, contact your healthcare provider.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment