Fall in Alabama doesn’t always feel like fall. Temperatures can stay warm well into the season, but that doesn’t mean seasonal allergens have gone away. For people living with COPD, that combination can make it difficult to understand what’s behind a change in breathing or other respiratory symptoms.
You may notice more shortness of breath, wheezing, congestion, or other changes and wonder: Is it allergies, or is my COPD flaring up?
The two can share some of the same symptoms, but there are also important differences. Paying attention to how your symptoms compare with your usual COPD symptoms can help you recognize when something has changed and when it’s time to contact your healthcare provider.
Why Fall Can Be Complicated for People With COPD
COPD affects how well your lungs move air, which can make your respiratory system more sensitive to irritants. Fall brings several potential triggers, including pollen, mold, changes in weather, smoke, and respiratory infections.
In Alabama, warm temperatures can contribute to a longer growing season, meaning some people may continue experiencing exposure to outdoor allergens well into the fall. Ragweed is a particularly common fall allergen and can trigger symptoms in people who are sensitive to it.
Seasonal allergies can irritate your airways and make existing COPD symptoms feel worse. At the same time, viruses such as influenza, COVID-19, RSV, and the common cold can cause respiratory symptoms that may be difficult to distinguish from a COPD flare-up.
That combination can make it challenging to figure out what’s behind a change in your breathing.
The most important thing to remember is that you know your usual COPD symptoms best. A noticeable change from your normal baseline is worth paying attention to, even if you think allergies may be responsible.
What COPD and Allergies Have in Common
It’s easy to confuse allergies with COPD symptoms because both can affect your breathing.
You may experience shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness, or coughing with either condition. You may also notice changes in mucus.
But symptoms don’t always tell the whole story. The location, timing, severity, and changes in your symptoms can provide helpful clues.
How to Tell the Difference Between Allergies and COPD
Allergies often affect your upper respiratory system, while a COPD flare-up typically involves worsening symptoms related to your lower airways and lungs. There can be overlap, though, so these differences aren’t a substitute for an evaluation by your healthcare provider.
Allergy symptoms may include:
- Sneezing
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Itchy or watery eyes
- Postnasal drip
- Throat or airway irritation
- Coughing related to drainage or airway irritation
If you notice these symptoms after spending time around a particular trigger, such as pollen or mold, allergies may be contributing to how you feel.
COPD flare-up symptoms may include:
- Shortness of breath that’s worse than usual
- Increased or worsening wheezing
- More coughing than usual
- An increase in mucus
- A change in the color or thickness of your mucus
- Difficulty doing everyday activities that are normally manageable
For someone living with COPD, the change from your normal symptoms can be especially important. If climbing the stairs, walking through the grocery store, or completing another routine activity suddenly leaves you much more short of breath than usual, don’t automatically assume seasonal allergies are to blame.
It’s also possible for more than one thing to be happening at the same time. Allergies can aggravate COPD symptoms, and respiratory infections can cause similar changes in breathing, mucus, and other respiratory symptoms.
That’s why it’s important not to try to diagnose the cause on your own.
Common Fall Triggers in Alabama
Alabama’s fall weather can create a particular mix of outdoor and indoor respiratory triggers.
Ragweed and other fall pollen can be significant sources of seasonal allergy symptoms. Ragweed concentrations typically peak in late summer and early fall, and Alabama’s relatively warm climate can contribute to an extended allergy season.
Mold is another potential concern. As leaves and other organic material collect on the ground and become damp, mold can grow and release spores into the air. Spending time cleaning up leaves or working outdoors may increase exposure for people who are sensitive to mold.
Weather changes can also affect people with COPD. Shifts in temperature and humidity may make breathing more difficult for some people, particularly when moving between hot outdoor temperatures and cooler indoor environments.
Then there are indoor irritants. As people spend more time indoors, exposure to dust, dust mites, pet dander, tobacco smoke, and fragrances from products such as air fresheners and cleaning supplies may increase.
And while these aren’t allergies, respiratory infections are another important consideration during Alabama’s fall and winter months. Influenza, COVID-19, RSV, and other respiratory viruses can cause symptoms that overlap with both allergies and COPD flare-ups.
Pay attention to when your symptoms occur, what you were exposed to, and how those symptoms compare with your normal COPD symptoms. That information can give your healthcare provider useful context.
Ways to Reduce the Risk of a Fall Flare-Up
Following your COPD action plan and taking your medications as prescribed are important year-round, including during Alabama’s allergy season.
You can also take steps to reduce exposure to triggers that you know affect your breathing. Depending on your specific triggers, that may include:
- Limiting time outdoors when pollen or other allergens are particularly high
- Changing clothes after spending time outside
- Keeping windows closed when outdoor allergens are high
- Avoiding tobacco smoke and other respiratory irritants
- Taking steps to reduce exposure to known indoor allergens
- Following your healthcare provider’s recommendations for vaccinations
- Keeping enough medication on hand when traveling, including enough for unexpected delays
Most importantly, pay attention when your usual symptoms change.
Consider keeping track of when symptoms occur, what you were doing beforehand, and whether anything seemed to make them better or worse. That information can help your healthcare provider determine whether allergies, an infection, a COPD flare-up, or another factor may be affecting your breathing.
When to Contact Your Healthcare Provider
If you have COPD, don’t automatically assume a change in your breathing is “just allergies.”
Contact your healthcare provider if your usual symptoms are getting worse, particularly if you’re experiencing more shortness of breath, wheezing, or mucus than usual, or if your symptoms aren’t improving.
A meaningful change in your ability to complete everyday activities is also worth discussing with your healthcare provider. If activities that are normally manageable suddenly leave you significantly more short of breath, don’t ignore the change.
You should also seek immediate medical attention if you’re experiencing severe shortness of breath, especially if you can’t speak in complete sentences because you’re having trouble breathing. Blue or gray lips or fingernails can also be a sign of a serious breathing problem. In these situations, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Be Prepared for Alabama’s Fall Allergy Season With Birmingham Pulmonary Group
Fall allergies, respiratory infections, weather changes, and other seasonal triggers can all affect your breathing when you have COPD. In Alabama, a long, warm growing season can mean continued exposure to outdoor allergens even as temperatures begin to change.
Knowing your normal COPD symptoms and recognizing meaningful changes can help you know when it’s time to seek medical guidance. If you’re experiencing persistent or worsening respiratory symptoms, Birmingham Pulmonary Group can help evaluate what’s happening and determine the appropriate next steps for your care.