SE LA Times

As spring approaches, it brings with it seasonal allergies.

According to the Farmers' Almanac, March 20 is the spring equinox and the official start of spring. Unfortunately for many who suffer from sinus inflammation or headaches, the allergy season is also ramping up.

According to Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, tree pollen is the first offender to bring on sinus inflammation and other symptoms during the month of February. Trees can begin producing pollen as early as January and continue producing into June in some cases. Tree pollen can cause the same allergy symptoms as “spring allergies,” such as sinus inflammation, sneezing, congestion and itchy, watery eyes.

In March, tree pollen becomes more of an issue but there are added triggers from grasses that may be coming in, as reported by the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI). Tree, grass and ragweed pollens do particularly well at irritating people during cool nights and warmer days.

In April, grass pollen emerges and flowers are still in bloom, causing worsening seasonal allergic rhinitis, according to ACAAI.

May might bring much of the same, unfortunately. All these conditions are weather-dependent, of course. If the weather is favorable to any particular plant, one type of pollen might be seen at higher than normal levels during this season.

If you have compounding problems of narrow sinuses and allergies, there are treatment options. To treat narrow sinuses or structural problems, a specialist might recommend balloon sinuplasty. Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive procedure, typically in the doctor's office, where tiny balloons are inserted into the sinuses to expand the narrow opening.

"Allergies are a large contributing factor to setting off sinus problems," Dr. Matt Hershcovitch of SoCal Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told the SE LA Times. "Often it could be pollen, it could be dust mites, it could be some sort of pet dander. When you breathe in the irritant or the allergen, it causes a reaction and it causes all these inflammatory mediators and white blood cells to attack the allergen, which causes a lot of inflammation. Now, this is what triggers the sinus problems. The sinus openings, structurally, for many people are extremely narrow, and if you get even just a little bit of inflammation to shut it down, that leads to stagnation and blockage of airflow through the sinus. When that happens, you end up with this bacterial overgrowth that consumes the sinus, causes pain, pressure, drainage headaches, you name it."

This free quiz can help determine how serious your symptoms are.