Long summer days filled with fun in the sun are now replaced with children excited about school, falling leaves and hay rides.
But the late summer and fall months are also when allergy season gets back into full swing.
About 35 million Americans, six million of whom are children, cope daily with the discomfort of nasal allergies.
When allergens are inhaled, tissues that line the inside of the nose become inflamed. This causes symptoms ranging from sneezing and runny and stuffy noses to post nasal drip and itchy eyes, ears, noses and throats.
Nasal allergies are divided into two types: seasonal and perennial.
People with seasonal allergies suffer during certain seasons, usually when specific plants are blooming, while people with perennial allergies suffer year round.
Those with seasonal allergic rhinitis, commonly known as hay fever, have nasal symptoms associated with pollens from grass, weeds and trees.
Weeds are the main cause of seasonal allergies in the fall.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hay fever is the most common of the allergic diseases and results in more than 14 million doctor’s visits each year.
Seasonal allergies also can trigger or induce asthma.
In fact, about 60 percent of Americans suffer from allergy-induced asthma. Year round, or perennial allergic rhinitis, can also be caused by pollen, but it is usually caused by indoor allergens, such as dust mites, pet dander or molds.
Normally, over-the-counter antihistamine medications are effective in alleviating allergy discomfort.However, when over-the-counter medications do not address the symptoms, see your primary care manager. Many prescription medications are more effective in stopping the body from initiating its allergic responses. In extreme cases, allergy desensitization injections or immunotherapy may be recommended to help strengthen the body’s tolerance for certain allergens.
The best means of avoiding allergic reactions is to remove or minimize the allergens that provoke your symptoms. For more information about allergies visit http:⁄⁄www.nlm.nih.gov⁄medlineplus⁄allergy.html
(Kelly is deputy assistant secretary of defense for clinical and program policy and acting chief medical officer, TRICARE management activity.)
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