Allergies... Recognition, Prevention, Treatment

One out of every three people suffers from allergies: the runny nose, itchy eyes and sneezing that most people call "hay fever." Allergies can severely impact day to day living and can have potentially more serious side-effects to seniors, especially those in poor health.

Anything that causes an allergic reaction is called an allergen. The most familiar allergens are pollen, molds, dust mites and pets, though there are dozens of other allergens such as cigarette and cigar smoke. Allergens cause a release of histamine, which dilates the blood vessels in and around the nose. This speeds up the arrival of germ-fighting cells to the infected areas.

If you suffer from allergies, your eyes may become itchy and watery. You may also experience increased mucus production and a runny nose. Germ-fighting cells get washed down the throat in the mucus, which can irritate the throat and cause soreness. Coughing and sneezing is the way your body attempts to keep the airway clear of both mucus and allergens.

For some people, allergies are a mild inconvenience experienced at certain times of the year. For those with severe reactions, allergies can result in more serious conditions, such as sinusitis, earaches, skin rashes, breathing difficulties and even asthma.

Where you live can play a role in how severe your allergies might be, especially in the spring. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has revealed the nation's top 100 Spring Allergy Capitals. The top ten are listed below:

The top ten 2004 Spring Allergy Capitals™ are:

1. Atlanta, GA
2. Augusta-Aiken, GA-SC
3. Louisville, KY
4. Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC
5. St. Louis, MO
6. Austin-San Marcos, TX
7. Springfield, MA
8. Little Rock, AR
9. Knoxville, TN
10. Allentown-Bethlehem, PA

(for a complete list of the 2004 Spring Allergy Capitals click HERE)

Relocating to a place where the offending substance doesn't grow is not usually recommended simply because the person who is sensitive to a particular pollen or mold may subsequently develop allergies to new allergens after repeated exposure. You can do many things, however, to treat and even prevent your allergy symptoms.

Recognizing Symptoms

The first step in putting a stop to your allergies is recognizing your symptoms. Often people wonder whether they really have allergies or if it's just a cold. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish allergy and cold symptoms because they can be similar. If you have symptoms for longer than a week, you may be experiencing allergies, not the common cold. If you have a fever or muscle aches, you probably have a common cold or flu, not allergies.

Here are some common allergy symptoms to look out for:

• Sneezing and stuffy nose
• Coughing
• Itchy eyes, nose and throat
• Dark circles under the eyes from sinus pressure
• Red, itchy, watery eyes

Tips On Prevention

The second step in ridding yourself of allergies, is to avoid them in the first place. Prevention is actually the best treatment of allergies. By knowing exactly what you're allergic to, you can avoid it if at all possible, sometimes greatly limiting your symptoms or reducing the severity of flare-ups.

Here are some helpful tips for avoiding your exposure to various allergens:

• Dust to control mites
  By dusting surfaces and washing bedding often, you can control the amount of dust mites in your home.
• Vacuum often
  Although cleaning can sometimes trigger allergic reactions, with dust in the air, vacuuming once or twice a week will reduce the surface dust mites. Wear a mask when doing housework and consider leaving for a few hours after you clean to avoid allergens in the air. You can also make sure your vacuum has an air filter to capture dust.
• Reduce pet dander
  If you have allergies, you should avoid pets with feathers or fur, like birds, dogs and cats. Animal saliva and dead skin, or pet dander, can cause allergic reactions. If you can’t bear to part with your pet, you should at least keep it out of the bedroom.
• Shut out pollen
  When you clean your windows, do you see a film of pollen on the frame or sill? One easy way to prevent pollen from entering your home is to keep windows and doors closed. Use an air filter and clean it regularly or run the air conditioner and change the filter often.
• Avoid mold spores
  Mold spores grow in moist areas. If you reduce the moisture in the bathroom and kitchen, you will reduce the mold. Fix any leaks inside and outside of your home and clean moldy surfaces. Plants can carry pollen and mold too, so limit the number of houseplants. Dehumidifiers will also help reduce mold.
• Stay inside
  Stay indoors during the time of the highest pollen counts, usually early in the morning on warm, dry, breezy days.
• Wear a face mask designed to filter pollen
  Avoid being outside during the height of pollen season, but if you must be outside, the mask will help to keep pollen from reaching your nasal passages.
• Strategically plan vacations
  Plan your vacation at the height of the expected pollinating period and choose a location where such exposure would be minimal, such as the seashore.

Treatment Options

Once you have done everything that you can to prevent allergies, the third step is to treat your allergies with over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medications. There are two types of OTC medication for treating allergies: antihistamines and decongestants. This is the first spring allergy season that prescription strength, 24-hour, non-drowsy medication is available over the counter. Talk to your pharmacist about what might be best to treat your symptoms and follow the instructions on the label.

Here are some common OTC treatment methods for Allergies:

1. Antihistamines can help stop allergy symptoms including sneezing, runny nose, itchy, watery eyes and itching of the nose and throat. They work by blocking the action of histamine, the substance that causes your symptoms. You may need to take an antihistamine regularly during peak allergy season. There are two types of antihistamines: non-drowsy formulas and those that might make you drowsy. Antihistamines come in tablets, quick-dissolve tablets, capsules or liquid. New "second generation" antihistamines, provide non-drowsy, 24-hour allergy relief and – for the first time – are available over the counter. The non-drowsy antihistamines you may consider taking include Alavert™ and Claritin®. The original "first generation" antihistamines may make you drowsy, a common side effect. First generation antihistamines include Actifed® and Benadryl®.
2. Decongestants help clear your stuffy nose and improve breathing. They work by reducing blood flow to the area (nose, eyes or ears), which allows less fluid in the area, clearing up your congestion. Decongestants come as eye and nose drops, sprays, oral tablets and liquid. You should use nose drops and sprays for only three days to avoid later swelling in the nose, which increases your congestion. You can use eye drops more often. Some decongestants you may consider taking include Afrin®, Dimetapp®, Dristan®, Robitussin® and Sudafed®.

If over-the-counter allergy medication does not relieve your symptoms, there are a few types of prescription medications that may be helpful. Your health care provider can tell you which type of prescription medication might be right for you.

1. Anti-inflammatory medications, such as corticosteroids, are used to treat allergy-related inflammation that causes itchy, stuffy nose or itchy eyes. These medications are available in spray (inhaler), liquid or tablet form.
2. Antihistamines can also be prescribed by your health care provider. Some types of prescription non-drowsy antihistamines include Allegra®and Clarinex®.
3. Allergy shots are used if you have more severe allergies that don’t clear with over-the-counter or prescription medications. Your health care provider officially calls allergy shots immunotherapy. When you start allergy shots, you receive increasing doses of the allergens that affect you to lessen your sensitivity. Allergies to grass, tree and weed pollen, dust mites and pet dander respond to allergy shots and this treatment can give you long-term relief from your allergies.

Many people wonder whether or not they will outgrow their allergies. Although allergic asthma may spontaneously improve, particularly during adolescence, it may also worsen or reoccur later in life. It is no longer thought that people outgrow these diseases. The diseases sometimes can become dormant and you may be free of symptoms. Still, allergic disease can return or even have its initial onset later in life.

It is important to talk to your health care provider if:

• Your symptoms include the warning signs of asthma such as
  • Struggling to catch your breath;
  • Wheezing and coughing; or
  • Frequent shortness of breath or tightness in your chest.
• Your allergies are causing secondary symptoms such as sinus infections or difficulty breathing.
• Your allergies are severely interfering with your ability to carry out day-to-day activities or continue to degrade your quality of life.
• Taking medications such as antihistamines and other medications does not control your allergy symptoms.

Asthma and other respiratory diseases are particularly common in adults over the age of 65. This age group is the fastest growing segment of the U.S. Population. Asthma symptoms may not be fully reversible with medications in older adults due to the effects of aging and the buildup of excess mucus produced by the lungs, and may be responsible for a persistent cough in some individuals.

If you feel you suffer from asthma, you should make an appointment to see your physician. While asthma may not be reversible in the senior population, it should be controllable, if you seek the appropriate help and follow the care plan set out for you by your physician.