Your home, school or workplace may contain substances that can cause an allergic reaction. These environmental substances include:
- dust,
- dust mites,
- animal dander (mostly cats),
- mold spores,
- mildew, or
- pollen
Pollen allergies usually occur in certain seasons, these other substances can cause allergy problems all year round.
While avoidance is the best solution in most cases, some causes of symptoms, such as molds and dust mites, cannot be eliminated. Exposure can be reduced, however, by environmental control measures prescribed by your allergist.
When it comes to allergies, living in Houston makes treatment harder because the true allergy to dust mites, mold or pollen is superimposed on the non-allergic effects of the pollution, ozone and humidity. Many patients say they feel great when they travel elsewhere, only to have symptoms come roaring back as soon as they return. So, if you're going to live in Houston because of your job, or because this is where your loved ones are, then successfully treating allergies may require you to be a bit more aggressive. That means paying equal attention to avoiding dust mites or mold that you're allergic to, avoiding non-allergic triggers (e.g., cigarette smoke, perfume, etc), and seeking medical help.
