Uploaded March 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Flowering plants, trees and grasses release pollen into the environment. The fine powdery substance can be carried by the wind and even into people’s homes, businesses and schools. For anyone exposed to pollen, it can cause various symptoms, or none at all.
For those allergic to pollen, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that exposure can trigger various allergic reactions, including symptoms of hay fever. Hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis, occurs when allergens like pollen enter the body and the immune system mistakenly identifies them as a threat. For those with allergic rhinitis, the body then responds to the allergen by releasing chemicals that can cause symptoms in the nose. Symptoms of allergic rhinitis, which may include sneezing, runny nose and congestion, affects as many as 60 million people per year in the United States.
Pollen exposure can also trigger symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis. Allergic conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the lining of the eye (conjunctiva) due to exposure to allergens like those in pollen. Symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis include red, watery or itchy eyes.
People with respiratory illnesses like asthma may also be more sensitive to pollen. Exposure to pollen has been linked to asthma attacks and increases in hospital admissions for respiratory illnesses.
There are some simple steps people can take to minimize the amount of pollen they are exposed to in the indoor environment. These include keeping windows and doors shut during pollen season, using quality air filters in the HVAC system, dusting regularly, using a HEPA vacuum, changing clothes and showering after being outdoors, and using an appropriate air purifier in specific rooms.
It’s also important to recognize there could be other common indoor allergens causing allergies. A few of the common ones include mold, animal danger and dust mites.
These are just a few of the many things to know about pollen allergies and indoor air quality. To learn more about this or other building science, environmental, health or safety issues, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. emsl.com
LA Testing latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental zimmetry.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine healthyindoors.com
Flowering plants, trees and grasses release pollen into the environment. The fine powdery substance can be carried by the wind and even into people’s homes, businesses and schools. For anyone exposed to pollen, it can cause various symptoms, or none at all.
For those allergic to pollen, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that exposure can trigger various allergic reactions, including symptoms of hay fever. Hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis, occurs when allergens like pollen enter the body and the immune system mistakenly identifies them as a threat. For those with allergic rhinitis, the body then responds to the allergen by releasing chemicals that can cause symptoms in the nose. Symptoms of allergic rhinitis, which may include sneezing, runny nose and congestion, affects as many as 60 million people per year in the United States.
Pollen exposure can also trigger symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis. Allergic conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the lining of the eye (conjunctiva) due to exposure to allergens like those in pollen. Symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis include red, watery or itchy eyes.
People with respiratory illnesses like asthma may also be more sensitive to pollen. Exposure to pollen has been linked to asthma attacks and increases in hospital admissions for respiratory illnesses.
There are some simple steps people can take to minimize the amount of pollen they are exposed to in the indoor environment. These include keeping windows and doors shut during pollen season, using quality air filters in the HVAC system, dusting regularly, using a HEPA vacuum, changing clothes and showering after being outdoors, and using an appropriate air purifier in specific rooms.
It’s also important to recognize there could be other common indoor allergens causing allergies. A few of the common ones include mold, animal danger and dust mites.
These are just a few of the many things to know about pollen allergies and indoor air quality. To learn more about this or other building science, environmental, health or safety issues, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. emsl.com
LA Testing latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental zimmetry.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine healthyindoors.com
