Seasonal Allergies
Seasonal allergies are a problem that many New Englanders encounter at some point in their lives. Unlike food, drug, animal and dust allergies, seasonal allergies are directly related to the natural vegetation growing in a particular geographic area. In New England we have a few growing cycles that trigger allergy symptoms in the susceptible individual. During the spring, budding trees are the biggest factor, in early summer, various grasses cause problems and in the fall, ragweed. What they all have in common is the pollen produced by vegetation. Some people are not bothered at all and others have uncomfortable symptoms, perhaps mild but for some severe. People with problems often check the “pollen count” as reported by a weather report and can anticipate the severity of their symptoms.
People experience a variety of symptoms and they are not the same for each suffering individual. Some of the more common symptoms include itchy, tearing eyes, nasal congestion, a scratchy, itchy throat and a dry cough. People with asthma or eczema may see a worsening of their problems. Gender, race and age play no role in who is afflicted by these annoying symptoms. Those of us living in the city can still be affected by these symptoms (the vegetation may not always be visible but the pollen is present).
There are various remedies to alleviate the discomfort. First line remedies are often available over the counter (they can be purchased without a prescription). The “allergy medication” aisle has medications like loratadine (also known as Claritin and Alavert), cetirizine (AKA Zyrtec) which are frequently used even year round for other allergies. Some of the “older antihistamines”, like Benadryl (AKA diphenhydramine) work well for some individuals but often cause drowsiness. There are eyes drops available as well that can help alleviate symptoms. Talk to your physician or nurse practitioner or physician assistant for advice on what might work best for you. Your insurance may cover the over the counter medications. When they are ineffective, your provider will be able to prescribe something available by prescription only. Sometimes, allergy suffers need a combination of remedies for relief (e.g. steroid nasal spray, an antihistamine tablet, like loratadine and eye drops). It is important to anticipate the upcoming season if it is a problem for you (i.e. start medication in early April before the pollen count is high). The key is to talk with your health care provider and work on the treatment plan that works best for you.
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