April Brings Showers, Flowers and ….Allergies

In the opening lines of his poem The Waste Land, T. S. Eliot glumly referred to April as “the cruelest month”—a distinction more than 35 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies can certainly relate to. Pollens that are spread by the wind are usually the main cause of seasonal allergies. When pollen is present in the air, it can land in a person’s eyes, nose, lungs and on the skin, setting up an allergic reaction. Symptoms may include runny nose, congestion, sneezing, itchy throat, and burning, watery eyes.

From the end of February through the end of November, something is airborne. Currently, the major culprit is wind-borne pollen from trees, but by May and June, grass will start to cause trouble, followed by ragweed in the last month of the summer. Mold spores peak in mid-summer and last until temperatures start to drop.   

Completely avoiding these pollens is virtually impossible, but there are precautions allergy sufferers can take to reduce their exposure.

• Keep windows closed to prevent pollens from drifting into your home
• Minimize early and mid-morning activity between 5-10 a.m. when pollen levels tend to be the highest
• Keep your car windows closed when traveling
• Find out what the pollen counts and types of pollen found in your area. 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
• 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
• Take a vacation during the height of the pollen season to a more pollen-free area, such as the beach or sea.

Doctors also recommend using eye drops, nasal sprays or other allergy medications before you go outside or have a flare up. Treatments include over-the-counter and prescription antihistamines such as Benadryl, Clarinex, Zyrtec, or Allegra; oral decongestants like Sudafed; nasal decongestants like Afrin and Dristan; steroid nasal sprays, including Beconase, Rhinocort, Nasonex, Flonase, and Veramyst; and drugs that combine antihistamines and decongestants like Allegra-D, Claritin-D, or Zyrtec-D.

When symptoms are not adequately controlled by medications, allergy shots, also called immunotherapy, are also an option. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology reported that allergy shots can reduce the symptoms in up to 85 percent of patients. Treatment often occurs over a three- to five-year time span, but many people begin to experience significant relief within the first year.

Other options you may want to discuss with your health care provider include the use of nasal irrigation with saline solution, which is available without a prescription, acupuncture, and herbal preparations such as butterbur.