Don ’t let allergy season catch you off guard

The woman next to me in the checkout line looked upset. Her eyes were red and her nose was running. My first thought was to give her privacy, until I saw her shopping basket filled with supplies to fight allergy symptoms, and then our eyes met. “I can’t believe how bad my allergies are this year!” she said, exasperated. My fellow shopper isn’t the only one suffering. “Warm weather and a mild winter, as we’ve experienced this year, can stimulate trees to pollinate. The southern U.S., which has a warmer climate, is particularly susceptible to earlier allergy seasons. Other climate factors — such as cool evenings, wind, and rainfall — can also lead to surges in pollen counts, which can exacerbate the impact of the early allergy season,” says Dr. Ahmad Sedaghat, an ear, nose, and throat specialist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Treatment challenges Waiting until allergens are in the air is a losing strategy in the allergy war. Once spring pollens — typically from oak, elm, birch, poplar, or maple trees — float through the air and reach your nose, the body can overreact. Mast cells in the lining of the nose may mistake the harmless tree particles for dangerous invaders, and summon help by releasing chemicals such as histamine and tryptase, which then recruit more immune system cells to the battle. Those chemicals also trigger watery eyes, a runny nose, sneezing, coughing, and a sore throat. A better defense It’s best to turn off ...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Asthma and Allergies Source Type: blogs