Allergies - They Don't Need to Ruin Your Spring

It’s spring, and for some it means the onslaught of allergies and their unappreciated symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about a quarter of America’s adults suffer from allergies. This is not a trivial malady. So, what is an allergy and what causes them? Allergies are your body’s outsized production of antibodies in reaction to allergens that have somehow contacted or entered your body. There are many types of allergies you can be allergic to, including:

• Drugs

• Food

• Insects that sting (bee, wasp, fire ant), bite (mosquito, tick), or are household pests (cockroach and dust mite)

• Latex

• Mold

• Pet (dog or cat urine, saliva, and dander)

• Pollen

To keep this blog somewhat simple, I’m going to focus on the more common springtime allergy – pollen.

I think that most, if not all, of us have either been a victim of, or know someone who suffers from, pollen-born allergies. Spring is not a fun time for allergy sufferers. When I was young, every two years in the spring, I would get all the symptoms of being allergic to pollen. Luckily, the allergy stopped as I got older, which is not uncommon. I still remember how uncomfortable it was, and it didn’t seem that any of the local remedies helped. Now that we understand the causes and reactions a little better there are things that can help.

One of the first things you should do is make sure that your symptoms are an allergy rather than a viral infection or something like sinusitis. In reviewing the symptoms, I found that itchy eyes are not common among viral infections, and an allergy isn’t accompanied by a fever. Given the recent pandemic, I found this especially useful chart that helped you determine whether you had allergies or COVID-19.  

One of the most common-sense hints I read as I researched allergies was to “stay away from things that you’re allergic to”. This begs the question, should you stay inside in your air filtered home during allergy season? Allergies don’t need to make you a prisoner, there are things you can do. One of the first things you can do is identify the type of pollen you are allergic to. It will help you as you work to find ways you can overcome its effects.

Where you live can have a big influence on the concentration of seasonal allergies. I thought I would bring it up. Not that you should pack up and leave tomorrow if you live in one of the cities, but it’s good information to have.

The top 10 most challenging places to live with seasonal allergies are:

1.    Wichita, Kansas

2.    Virginia Beach, Virginia

3.    Greenville, South Carolina

4.    Dallas, Texas

5.    Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

6.    Tulsa, Oklahoma

7.    Richmond, Virginia

8.    Des Moines, Iowa

9.    Raleigh, North Carolina

10. Fayetteville, Arkansas

While you might not be able to move you can stay up to speed on the pollen counts in your area and schedule your outdoor activities accordingly. This link takes you to a website that identifies over 80 stations throughout the U.S. You can find the one closest to you, sign up and they will send you an email alert when the pollen count changes in your area.

It’s becoming evident that allergy season is lasting longer. Getting a head start on your symptoms can help you discover the regiment that works for you.

There are many over-the-counter and prescription medicines that can help. If the medicine you try doesn’t work for you, don’t hesitate to try another. Allergies are very personal and are unique to each individual. The successful combination may only be discovered by trial and error. If over-the-counter solutions don’t work, don’t hesitate to see your doctor or an allergy specialist. One approach is using a neti pot to flush your sinuses. I’ve never tried this, but I have friends who swear by this approach.

Staying inside may not completely separate you from the demon pollen. You can bring pollen inside on your clothes and even your pets can be carriers. Showering before you go to bed will keep you away from any pollen throughout the night. There are special filters for your HVAC system in your house that can help filter out pollen. Experts recommend a filter with a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) of 11 or higher. These filters are capable of capturing tiny pollen particles. If you have severe allergies, you may opt for a professional-style HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter. HEPA filters typically have a MERV rating of 17 or higher and remove 99 percent of pollen, as well as animal dander, dust, and other particles.

If your allergies are preventing you from the comforts of an everyday life, you may consider allergy immunotherapy. It is a process of identifying exactly what your allergy is and then going through a series of allergy shots that introduce a slowly increasing amount of the allergen until your body stops overreacting to the allergen. This may take a while, but it might be a way to greatly reduce or even eliminate your allergic reaction.

Allergies don’t have to be a rite of spring for you. There are ways to combat and even eliminate your allergy so you can breathe easy as the days get warmer.

Best, Thair