Ragweed Season Doesn't Mean Suffering - Health Day

(HealthDay News) -- Ragweed season, which lasts from about mid-August to October in many parts of the United States, can bring misery to the estimated 36 million Americans with seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever).

Symptoms such as sneezing, runny noses, swollen, itchy watery eyes are so severe that they disrupt a person's ability to function normally at work or school, says the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).

The academy notes that almost 80 percent of people with seasonal allergies suffer sleep problems, resulting in daytime fatigue and poor concentration. Each year, ragweed-related allergies cause more than 3.8 million lost days of work and school.