Springtime Allergies: Nothing to Sniffle At

Ronald D. Weiss, MD

Medical Director, The Doctor is In, West New York, New Jersey

 

At The Doctor is In, here in West New York, I am barraged by patients complaining of allergy symptoms as soon as the first daffodils poke their heads out from beneath the melting snow. The allergy season usually starts in early or mid-March and peaks in late April and May, ending by June. For those patients of mine suffering from allergies these few months seem like an eternity. Being an allergy sufferer myself, I sympathize with my patients who suffer from allergies and strive to find effective treatments for them.

 

Q:        What causes seasonal allergies, otherwise known as hayfever?

A:        When the buds of flowers, trees and grasses open in springtime, they disperse pollen through the air.  When pollen counts rise, they irritate the mucous membranes (the nose and eyes) and respiratory system. Many people’s immune systems are sensitive to pollen and overreact, pouring out irritating chemicals. These chemicals are known as histamines. Histamines are the cause of allergy symptoms. Medicines that counteract these symptoms are called antihistamines.

 

Q:       What are the symptoms of seasonal allergies?

A:        The most common allergy symptoms are sneezing, watery and itchy eyes, sinus and nasal congestion and/or a runny nose. During severe allergy seasons, sufferers may even start to wheeze, cough or become short of breath.

 

Q:        If I’ve never had springtime allergies, is it possible develop them as an adult?

A:        Yes. It is possible to develop allergies at any point in your life.

 

Q:        Why does it seem that with each passing year, my allergies get worse?

A;        This is not your imagination. It is thought that due to the effects of global warming, plants are releasing increased amounts of pollen which exacerbate allergy sufferers symptoms as the years progress.

 

Q:        What kinds of medicines should I take to treat my allergies?

A:                    The first antihistamine medicines invented are now available over the counter. Sold under the brand names of Benadryl and Claritin, these medications are generally less effective than prescription medications and may have pronounced side effects of drowsiness. 

Newer antihistamines, available by prescription only, such as Allegra, Zyrtec and Clarinex are the most effective medications with the fewest side effects.  In addition, steroid nasal sprays, available by prescription only, can be very effective in stopping allergy systems if used on a daily basis. Of course, there are also anti-allergy eye drops, such as Patanol, which can be very effective at specifically treating watery and itchy eyes.

Lastly, Singulair, originally approved to treat and prevent asthma symptoms, is now commonly used to prevent allergy symptoms and is useful if it is started two weeks before the allergy season begins.

 

 

Q:        Are there effective treatments, other than medications?

A:        Yes. At The Doctor is In, we do perform allergy testing to identify the specific causes of the patients’ allergies.  In the patient who is willing to undergo desensitization, miniscule amounts of the offending pollen will be injected into the patient on a weekly basis over many months until the patient’s allergy response is turned off.  This approach is also used for other types of allergies, including to animals, foods, dust and other environmental allergens. Natural supplements, such as Quercitin, which cut the inflammatory response in the body may also be useful to reduce allergy symptoms if taken on a regular basis.