the perils of pollen
the perils of pollen Allergy season brings misery By Weam Namou Spring is here, the grass is greener and the flowers are blooming. You want to enjoy the outdoors but instead, you suddenly start sneezing and have a runny nose and itchy, watery eyes. Before you conclude it’s a cold — and unless you have a new pet at your home — it may likely be seasonal allergy. According to Seasonal-Allergies.info, allergies caused by pollen (tiny, egg-shaped powdery grains released from flowering plants) and other allergens affect 40 million Americans each year, with symptoms occurring anywhere from early spring through late November. Some people experience seasonal allergies all their lives while others develop them later in life. Thanks to the mild winter and relatively dry early spring, pollen counts in Metro Detroit are elevated this year. April was a tough month for sufferers and they now must get through May, when pollen levels are usually at their highest. “A person with allergies is someone whose immune system response is oversensitive,” said Nahid Elyas, M.D., president of Chaldean American Association for Health Professionals. “When it recognizes an allergen, it releases chemicals such as histamines and this causes symptoms of allergy, which are itching, swelling, mucous production, muscle spasms, hives, sneezing, runny eyes, runny nose and rashes.” While seasonal allergies can slow a person down, there is hope for reducing this irritation through various methods. In order to treat the allergy, Adil Y. Arabbo, M.D., says people must first identify what type they have. “There are many different allergies that people may be exposed to,” said Arabbo. “A lot of it has to do with one’s historical nature.” Arabbo advises that people pay attention to the time of year in which their symptoms are occurring and whether they are getting Achoo! It’s not easy to avoid pollen, but about.com offers a few tips for allergy sufferers: • Keep windows closed to prevent pollens from drifting into your home. • Minimize early morning activity when pollen worse over time. In this way, they will be able to identify if their allergy is to pollen, animal dander, food type or something else. “If the allergy happens mainly inside your house or indoors, usually it will happen all year round,” said Elyas. is usually emitted, between 5-10 a.m. • Keep your car windows closed when traveling. • Stay indoors when the pollen count is reported to be high, and on windy days when pollen may be present in higher amounts in the air. • Take a vacation during the height of the pollen season to a more pollen-free area, such as the beach or sea. • Avoid mowing the lawn and freshly cut grass. • Machine dry bedding and clothing. Pollen may collect in laundry if it is hung outside to dry. Examples of that allergen are mold, pet dander and dust mites. “If the allergy happens during a specific season, then usually it is outdoor allergies,” he added. Examples of that allergen are grass pollen, tree pollen, weed pollen and hay fever. There are many other types of allergies, some of which include latex, cosmetic, sun and aspirin. People can learn what they are allergic to by having some tests done at the doctor’s office. “A skin test is the most common way of allergy testing,” said Elyas. One type of skin test is known as the prick test, which involves placing a small amount of the suspected allergy-causing substances on the skin and closely watching for signs of a reaction such as swelling and redness. Other types of skin tests include patch testing and intradermal testing, in which a small amount of the allergen is injected into the skin. “The most effective way to manage one’s allergies is by prevention,” said Arabbo. “But sometimes avoiding what you’re allergic to is not possible. How do you tell a person not to go outside during spring?” While there is no cure for allergies, there are several types of over-the-counter medications that Elyas and Arabbo recommend, such as Benadryl, Zyertec and Claritin. These medications can cause drowsiness so the doctors suggest that they be taken at night. “If the allergy is so severe that over-the-counter medication does not help, then there are other methods such as allergy shots,” said Arabbo. “These shots help train the body to become less allergic to whatever the person is allergic to.” What about natural and alternative remedies, such as acupuncture, homeopathy and herbal treatments, available out there? Do they work? Both doctors say that there is no solid study or sufficient data that shows alternative remedies can help manage the problem of allergies. “As a physician who’s an MD, I’m of an allopathic [conventional] nature,” said Arabbo. “Therefore, I don’t know the ingredients in every herbal treatment and can’t give information about them.” Arabbo emphasizes the importance of patients, whether they turn to conventional or alternative remedies, doing their homework in such matters. “They must study the treatment they’re choosing,” he said, “and decide whether it is going to help rather than harm their bodies.” 38 CHALDEAN NEWS MAY 2010 cn0510_0156.indd 38 4/27/10 5:57:20 PM
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