Believe it or not, allergies can show up out-of-nowhere at different times of the year and different times of your life. Even if you have gone decades without any seasonal allergy symptoms, allergies can develop overnight. Let us explain exactly why this happens…

Can You Develop Allergies?

Yes, allergies and allergy symptoms fluctuate. Exposure to new allergens happens every time we travel to a new area, eat new foods and drinks, and go through different phases of our lives.

When Can Allergies Develop?

Allergies can develop at any time for any reason, but there are certain phases of life when allergies are more commonly developed.

• • Pregnancy
  • Post-Natal (mother AND child)
  • Toddlers
  • Pre-Teens
  • Teens
  • Adolescence
  • Change of life – Menopause and healthy aging.
  • Post Medical Procedures
  • Starting new medications
  • With Disease

As you can see, there is really any time in life when allergies can simply appear.

Allergies During Pregnancy

Sneezing, runny nose, inflamed sinuses, and itchy eyes are common during pregnancy. These symptoms during pregnancy can be either “Rhinitis During Pregnancy” or true seasonal allergies. If you are pregnant, have never experienced seasonal allergies in previous years, but are now suffering from seasonal allergies, it could be the pregnancy making you more sensitive to the seasonal allergens in the air. In this case, the allergy symptoms are likely to go-away after pregnancy.

Rhinitis During Pregnancy

Pregnancy rhinitis are symptoms that are not caused by allergies, but are caused by inflammation caused most often in the third trimester of pregnancy. Nasal congestion, loss of smell, postnasal drip, runny nose, and sneezing are all common symptoms. Your family allergy specialist and allergist can tell you for sure if it is rhinitis during pregnancy or true allergies.

Family Allergy Clinic Specializes in Allergy Treatment for Pregnant and Nursing Women.

Whether you are suffering from allergies or pregnancy rhinitis, corticosteroids, decongestant sprays, and nasal rinses are all options for both. Family Allergy Clinic can consult you on whether or not sublingual allergy drops are an option during pregnancy.

Allergies After Pregnancy

Postpartum allergies are also common. In these cases, a new mother’s immune system is hyperreactive to allergens. Pregnancy “re-shapes” a woman’s immune response, and the immune response is “lowered” during pregnancy. This can lead to an increase in allergy symptoms both during and after pregnancy.

Hormones play a big role in allergies and the body’s response to allergens. Lower levels of estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol after pregnancy can also be a cause of allergy symptoms developing suddenly. Eczema symptoms starting after pregnancy is also common due to these same hormonal and immune system drops.

Allergy Doctor For Pregnant and Nursing Women

If you are pregnant or a new mother suddenly suffering from allergy, asthma, and/or eczema symptoms, Dr Melissa and Family Allergy Clinic can help! We specialize in allergies for pregnancy women and new mothers.

Allergies After Moving to a New Area

When you move to a new area — either across country, across the world, or just across town — you are being exposed to brand new allergens that your body and immune system has never before encountered. Many people who have never before suffered from allergies can develop symptoms overnight when moving to a new area.

Local plant life, dust, and microorganisms may be to blame, but also changes in elevation, air pressure, oxygen saturation,  and other factors should be considered.

Allergies After Surgery and Medical Procedures

Medications can cause a lot of side effects and unexpected symptoms, and some of these can mimic allergy symptoms. It is important to tell your allergist about any medications you are taking or were administered to you during recent surgeries. This can help narrow down the reasons for your allergy symptoms. Allergy testing services can help you to make sure what exactly is causing your allergy symptoms.