October Triggers: What Can Make Breathing Symptoms Worse This Fall?

October can bring cooler temperatures, changing weather, and plenty of time spent indoors. For people with allergies, asthma, or other breathing concerns, those seasonal changes may also bring more noticeable symptoms.

You may find yourself coughing more, feeling short of breath, wheezing, or experiencing increased nasal congestion. But what is actually triggering these changes?

Common Fall Triggers to Watch

Several environmental factors can affect breathing symptoms during the fall, including:

Seasonal allergens: Ragweed and other outdoor allergens can continue affecting people into the fall. Allergy symptoms may include congestion, runny nose, sneezing, and postnasal drip.

Changing temperatures: Moving between cool outdoor air and heated indoor spaces can sometimes irritate the airways or make existing symptoms more noticeable.

Indoor allergens: As temperatures drop, people often spend more time indoors. Dust, dust mites, pet dander, and other indoor allergens may become more noticeable when windows are closed and indoor air circulation changes.

Respiratory illnesses: Colds and other respiratory infections become more common as people spend more time indoors and return to school and work routines. For some people, an illness can also make existing breathing symptoms harder to manage.

Pay Attention to Patterns

It can be helpful to notice when your symptoms appear or become worse. Do they happen after spending time outdoors? When cleaning your home? At night? After a change in temperature?

Recognizing patterns can provide useful information when discussing your symptoms with a healthcare professional.

If you have asthma or recurring allergy symptoms, don't assume that worsening symptoms are simply something you have to tolerate every fall. Identifying possible triggers and addressing the underlying cause can be an important part of managing your breathing.

When Should You Get Evaluated?

If coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, nasal congestion, or other breathing symptoms are persistent or interfering with your daily activities, an evaluation may help determine what is contributing to them.

Allergies, asthma, chronic rhinitis, and nasal obstruction can all present with breathing-related symptoms, and the appropriate treatment depends on the underlying cause.

Breathe Easier This Fall

Seasonal changes can affect more than the weather. If you notice that your breathing or allergy symptoms become more difficult to manage every October, it may be worth looking beyond the season itself and identifying what is triggering your symptoms.

If you are experiencing recurring allergies, asthma symptoms, nasal congestion, or difficulty breathing, Atlanta ENT, Sinus & Allergy Associates, P.C. can evaluate your symptoms and discuss appropriate treatment options. Call 404-891-6576 to schedule an appointment.

Author

Ramie A. Tritt, MD Ramie A. Tritt, MD, FRCSC, specializes in nasal and sinus surgery as well as snoring and sleep apnea surgery at Atlanta ENT, Sinus & Allergy Associates, P.C.’s Sandy Springs location in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Tritt graduated from medical school with honors from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He completed his otolaryngology residency at McGill University and his fellowship in otology and head and neck surgery at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, New York. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Otolaryngology and a fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Dr. Tritt is a member of the Medical Association of Georgia and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Tritt has been an instructor at national ENT meetings, a Medical Advisory Board member for computer image-guided sinus surgery, and been recognized by Atlanta Magazine as a “Doctor Who Doctors Go To”.