3 Major Types of Allergic Rhinitis and Hayfever

Allergic rhinitis falls into three categories:

Seasonal

This includes reactions to tree pollens in early spring, grasses in late spring to midsummer, and weeds in late summer to early fall. Despite what you've heard, bright-colored flowers rarely cause symptoms, because their pollens are spread by insects rather than the wind. Equally misleading is the term "hay fever." It may occasionally refer to hay, a dried grass, but has nothing to do with fever.

Not all seasonal reactions are caused by pollen. Fertilizer, for instance, is applied mainly in spring and fall and contains large amounts of animal dander (old skin scales). Winter rain, damp­ness, and floods bring colonies of fungi that rot wood and car­pets and stink up basements. Children returning to school in September may confront dusty desks and classrooms.

For your own clarity of mind, don't focus too much on the idea of seasonal allergies. There's always something in the air that could cause symptoms; a lot depends on where and how you live.

Perennial (Year-Round)

Common triggers are molds, house dust mites, cockroach parti­cles, cat and dog dander, certain foods, and chemicals. Jennifer may have been reacting to molds and dust stirred into the air from the old clothes, or to dust or molds in the church itself.

Episodic

Some allergens occur randomly and unpredictably, such as in­sect stings and poison ivy.