Do the Trees and Breeze Make You Sneeze?

An allergic reaction occurs when the body mounts an immune response to something that’s normally harmless. Many of us suffer from “allergies” and spring and summer can be the worst of all seasons for us. Some 35 million Americans suffer from “hay fever.”

The main culprit is pollen. You see, just as spring can often be thought of as a season of love for humans, it is certainly the season of love for trees, bushes and grasses. All of these plants release tiny bits of grain into the air as a way of reproducing. Fine and dandy for them, but when those tiny bits get into the nose of a person who is allergic to them, all heck breaks loose with that person’s immune system.

Your body thinks that pollen is an “invader” and calls in the troops to force the intruders out. The troops in your body are called antibodies and they are very helpful in recognizing and attacking bacteria, viruses and other yucky stuff. We’d be in pretty bad shape without them. As the troops attack the invaders, a substance called histamine is produced. Histamines trigger other body responses, known as the hallmarks of allergies: a runny nose, sneezing, a scratchy throat and itchy eyes. Immune reactions may even result in rashes or difficulty breathing. Not fun.

What can you do about all this? Our advice to those who suffer from spring allergies is to see your family doctor. Your doctor will ask you some detailed questions and may perform some simple tests to determine if you need to see an allergy specialist.

The allergy specialist can conduct tests to determine what (or in some cases, how many whats!) you are allergic to. You and your allergy doctor can plan a path for treatment that might range from over the counter antihistamines, to prescription medications, to injections if needed.

(Here are a few simple tips for keeping allergies at bay.)

Would you like to learn more and have chance to speak with an expert on the subject? If so, be sure to join us for a FREE Healthy Conversation with Dr. Scott Major on Tuesday, June 4^th.

Click here for details or to RSVP.