by Natasha Persaud
As summer changes into fall, many people start to experience itchy eyes, sneezing and sniffles. The good news? With a little know-how, you can reduce these allergy symptoms. Take our quick quiz, and learn how to manage fall allergies.
1. True or false: You can develop seasonal allergies at any time in your life.
Answer: A. True
“Any number of environmental and genetic factors may contribute to seasonal allergies,” says Beth Corn, M.D., director of the Allergy/Asthma Clinic at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and a member of the Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America. “The jury is still out on the exact causes, but it’s clear that you don’t need to have a genetic predisposition. That said, if one of your parents has allergies, you’re 30 percent more likely to develop allergies—although not necessarily the same ones; if both your parents suffer from allergies, your risk increases to 60 to 70 percent."
2. True or false: Seasonal allergies can set you up for serious health problems.
Answer: A. True
“Having allergies puts you at greater risk for sinus infection, wheezing and asthma,” says Dr. Corn. “Seeing an allergy specialist at the onset of symptoms may help you delay and even avoid these complications.”
3. How do you know that you have an allergy, not a cold?
Answer: D. All of the above
“Although your allergy symptoms may feel similar to a cold—think sneezing, coughing, ‘stuffy’ nose, sore throat, fatigue—there are some differences,” says Dr. Corn. “Allergies tend to last for weeks, versus days for a cold, and they rarely, if ever, produce fever. Itchy, watery eyes are also a hallmark symptom of allergies. It’s rare for a cold to produce tears, although if you experience burning in the eyes, it may indicate a virus.”
4. Which of the following plants is least likely to be a fall allergy trigger?
Answer: A. Garden Rose
"Bright flowers, such as garden roses, are the least likely to produce allergy symptoms," says Dr. Corn. "Their large, waxy pollen tend to be carried by bees and other insects, rather than borne by the wind. In the fall, weeds—such as ragweed, sagebrush, pigweed, tumbleweed, Russian thistle and cockleweed—trigger allergy symptoms. Another culprit: trees that pollinate in the fall, including cedar elm, Chinese elm, September elm and eucalyptus."
5. True or false: You’re less likely to develop pollen allergies if you live in an urban, not a rural, area.
Answer: B. False
“One ragweed plant can produce more than a billion pollen particles covering up to four hundred miles,” says Dr. Corn, “so you’re just as likely to develop pollen allergies if you live in the city as you are if you live in the country.”
6. What time of day is the pollen count the highest?
Answer: A. Morning
“Pollen is typically the highest between six a.m. and noon,” says Dr. Corn. “Ideally, you want to stay indoors and close the windows during those times, but if you’re commuting, wind up the car windows and turn on the air conditioner to reduce your exposure.”
7. How often should you change the filter on your air conditioner?
Answer: B. Once a year
“Most people run their air conditioners from June to September,” says Dr. Corn. “If that’s what you do, you should change the filters in your cars and home at least once a year to reduce pollen exposure. If you also use your air conditioner throughout the spring, you may need to change the filter more often.”
8. Which of the following tests accurately diagnoses a pollen allergy?
Answer: B. Skin Prick Test
“A simple skin prick test is usually all that’s needed to diagnose a pollen allergy,” says Dr. Corn. “During the test, your doctor will prick sections of your skin and introduce tiny amounts of various allergens; if skin irritation or swelling occur, it’s a sign that you’re allergic to that particular substance. A skin prick test requires no special preparation, though you’ll need to avoid antihistamines for a week prior to the exam. If a skin test can’t be performed, your doctor may order a blood test instead.”
9. When should you start taking medication for ragweed allergy?
Answer: C. At the beginning of the fall season
“You should start taking over-the-counter or prescription medication at the start of the fall allergy season, which is usually between mid-August and Labor Day,” says Dr. Corn. “By the time you experience symptoms, your nasal passages and eyes have already become inflamed, and it will take longer for your symptoms to subside.”
10. True or False. You can build up a tolerance to antihistamine medications.
Answer: B. False
“You’re unlikely to build up tolerance to antihistamines,” says Dr. Corn. “Rather, if you’re taking antihistamines and your symptoms don’t subside, it’s possible that your allergies are getting worse. In that case, your doctor may prescribe additional medication, such as a nasal steroid spray, a leukotriene receptor antagonist and/or antihistamine eye drops.
"When indicated, allergy shots may be offered to help control your symptoms. Allergy shots are a type of immunotherapy, in which a person is injected with increasing amounts of an allergen to decrease sensitivity to it.”
Many people are curious about sublingual immunotherapy, in which drops containing small amounts of an allergen are placed under the tongue, with the amount of allergen in the drops gradually increasing over time. “It’s a practice that may implemented in the future,” says Dr. Corn, “but sublingual immunotherapy is not FDA-approved as yet.”
11. True or false: Nasal saline sinus rinses (salt water solutions) are an effective way to reduce nasal congestion from allergies.
Answer: A. True
“Using a salt-water sinus rinse is an excellent way to flush (clean out) the nasal passages, which can help reduce symptoms,” says Dr. Corn.
12. A subset of people with ragweed allergy may experience itchy mouth when eating which of the following foods:
Answer: E. All of the above
“An itchy mouth may result from a food allergy, or it could indicate oral allergy syndrome,” Dr. Corn explains. “If it’s oral allergy syndrome, a person reacts to proteins in fruits and vegetables that are similar to proteins in ragweed pollen. Cooking the fruit or vegetable generally solves the problem. If you have a food allergy or you have a severe reaction due to oral allergy syndrome, you must avoid the food entirely.
“If you experience any type of oral reaction, make an appointment to see an allergy specialist to determine the cause. But if you experience symptoms involving the tongue, throat or lungs, such as shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, that’s an emergency. Seek immediate medical attention.”
Fall Allergy Capitals
Each year, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America compiles a list of the most challenging places to live and work in the fall for allergy sufferers, based on pollen scores, allergy medications and the number of allergy specialists per patient.
The top 10 allergy capitals of fall 2008:
1. Greensboro, SC
2. Greenville, SC
3. Little Rock, AR
4. Raleigh-Durham, NC
5. Jackson, MS
6. Knoxville, TN
7. Grand Rapids, MI
8. Wichita, KS
9. Oklahoma City, OK
10. Madison, WI
Did your city make the list in 2009? Visit allergycapitals.com in mid-September to find out.