Spring Health starts in the pages of NEWSWEEK and expands once it's online. Explore general health topics accurately and entertainingly, from breakthroughs in research to the latest thinking from experts on allergies, men's health, the heart, COPD, sleep and more.
{ by Stacey Colino }
Even though as many as 40 million people in the United States may have seasonal allergies (aka hay fever), there’s plenty of confusion about what brings on all that sneezing and sniffling—and why it won’t go away. The truth is, airborne pollens and mold spores typically trigger seasonal allergies. “It’s not just what’s in your backyard—pollen can travel 30 miles,” says Jason Lee, M.D., an allergist at the Connecticut Allergy and Asthma Center, in West Hartford, and a clinical instructor of medicine at the University of Connecticut Health Center. To help you breathe easier this spring, here’s what you need to know about some allergy myths and the truth behind them.
MYTH: Seasonal allergies are merely a minor annoyance.
FACT: They can take a serious toll on your health and your quality of life. “People can really feel miserable,” says allergist Michael Miller, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, in Knoxville. “Their sleep is affected, and they have a three-times greater risk of developing asthma throughout the years.” What’s more, allergy sufferers are at increased risk for secondary problems such as sinusitis, ear infections and bronchitis if bacteria and/or fungus develop in the mucus that’s so plentiful in the nasal passages. Plus, Dr. Miller notes, you are “more susceptible to colds and other upper-respiratory infections if you have allergies.”
MYTH: To be treated for allergies, you need to know exactly what you’re allergic to.
FACT: In many cases, it doesn’t matter, because the first-line treatment is likely to be the same. “There’s no difference in antihistamines for one allergy versus another,” Dr. Lee says. That’s because all antihistamines work by blocking histamine, which is what tends to trigger those unpleasant symptoms. It does help to know what you’re allergic to, however, if you want to take steps to eliminate allergens from your home, or if you don’t get sufficient relief from standard medications and you want to consider immunotherapy (allergy shots).
MYTH: Moving to a new area will cure your allergies.
FACT: “If you go to Greenland or the moon, it’s possible,” says Dr. Miller. But most areas of the world contain trees, grasses and weeds, some of which may be similar in chemical structure to the one(s) you’re allergic to. So even if you have fewer symptoms for the first couple of years, you could react to other pollens that are prevalent in that new region as you are increasingly exposed to them and end up with symptoms anyway.
MYTH: People typically outgrow their allergies. FACT: More often than not, they’re with you for the long haul. About 10 percent of people will outgrow their hay fever in a given decade, Dr. Miller says, but the vast majority will have their seasonal allergy through adulthood. “Once the allergic immune system is turned on, it’s very difficult to turn off,” he says. Still, the severity of your symptoms may vary considerably from year to year, depending on the pollen count, your activities and how allergic you are. If it’s a light pollen season and you’re only slightly allergic to birch trees, for example, your symptoms may be so mild that you hardly notice them, which can fool you into thinking you’ve left the allergy behind. But your symptoms could return with a vengeance the following spring if the pollen count is sky-high. Adding insult to misery, “with yearly exposure, you do become more allergic, because your body makes better antibodies,” Dr. Lee notes.
Even though as many as 40 million people in the United States may have seasonal allergies (aka hay fever), there’s plenty of confusion about what brings on all that sneezing and sniffling—and why it won’t go away. The truth is, airborne pollens and mold spores typically trigger seasonal allergies. “It’s not just what’s in your backyard—pollen can travel 30 miles,” says Jason Lee, M.D., an allergist at the Connecticut Allergy and Asthma Center, in West Hartford, and a clinical instructor of medicine at the University of Connecticut Health Center. To help you breathe easier this spring, here’s what you need to know about some allergy myths and the truth behind them.
MYTH: Seasonal allergies are merely a minor annoyance.
FACT: They can take a serious toll on your health and your quality of life. “People can really feel miserable,” says allergist Michael Miller, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, in Knoxville. “Their sleep is affected, and they have a three-times greater risk of developing asthma throughout the years.” What’s more, allergy sufferers are at increased risk for secondary problems such as sinusitis, ear infections and bronchitis if bacteria and/or fungus develop in the mucus that’s so plentiful in the nasal passages. Plus, Dr. Miller notes, you are “more susceptible to colds and other upper-respiratory infections if you have allergies.”
MYTH: To be treated for allergies, you need to know exactly what you’re allergic to.
FACT: In many cases, it doesn’t matter, because the first-line treatment is likely to be the same. “There’s no difference in antihistamines for one allergy versus another,” Dr. Lee says. That’s because all antihistamines work by blocking histamine, which is what tends to trigger those unpleasant symptoms. It does help to know what you’re allergic to, however, if you want to take steps to eliminate allergens from your home, or if you don’t get sufficient relief from standard medications and you want to consider immunotherapy (allergy shots).
MYTH: Moving to a new area will cure your allergies.
FACT: “If you go to Greenland or the moon, it’s possible,” says Dr. Miller. But most areas of the world contain trees, grasses and weeds, some of which may be similar in chemical structure to the one(s) you’re allergic to. So even if you have fewer symptoms for the first couple of years, you could react to other pollens that are prevalent in that new region as you are increasingly exposed to them and end up with symptoms anyway.
MYTH: People typically outgrow their allergies. FACT: More often than not, they’re with you for the long haul. About 10 percent of people will outgrow their hay fever in a given decade, Dr. Miller says, but the vast majority will have their seasonal allergy through adulthood. “Once the allergic immune system is turned on, it’s very difficult to turn off,” he says. Still, the severity of your symptoms may vary considerably from year to year, depending on the pollen count, your activities and how allergic you are. If it’s a light pollen season and you’re only slightly allergic to birch trees, for example, your symptoms may be so mild that you hardly notice them, which can fool you into thinking you’ve left the allergy behind. But your symptoms could return with a vengeance the following spring if the pollen count is sky-high. Adding insult to misery, “with yearly exposure, you do become more allergic, because your body makes better antibodies,” Dr. Lee notes.
MYTH:
Allergy medications are addictive.
FACT: They’re not. And they don’t quit working over time, either. “None of the allergy medicines—antihistamines and nasal steroids—are addictive,” Dr. Lee says. “You are dependent only because your symptoms dictate that you take medications. But it doesn’t mean your body is dependent on them or that you’re developing a tolerance to them.” If your symptoms don’t respond as well to antihistamines as they used to, it could be that the intensity of your symptoms is overwhelming the medication’s powers. In that case, Dr. Miller suggests that you speak with your physician about trying a stronger agent.
MYTH: You don’t need to take medication unless your allergy symptoms flare up.
FACT: “It’s best if you start taking meds two weeks before the allergy season starts,” which can prevent symptoms, Dr. Miller says. “It’s a whole lot harder to reverse a reaction than to prevent one.” Understanding the anatomy of an allergic response can put this in perspective. After a hay fever sufferer is exposed to the tiny allergens that are released into the air by trees, grasses, weeds and molds, the allergens bind to mast cells beneath the nasal mucus membrane. These cells contain antibodies that combine with the allergens to release histamine and other inflammatory chemicals, which produces the sniffling and sneezing, the itchy, watery eyes and other bothersome symptoms typical of allergies.
MYTH: Allergies only cause clear nasal discharge.
FACT:It can vary. To some extent, the color of your discharge depends on how long the mucus was sitting in your nose. When it’s fresh, it’s clear. “The longer it sits there, the more concentrated and discolored it becomes,” Dr. Lee explains. “Just because you have darker discharge doesn’t mean you have an infection.” What does suggest an infection: fever, thick discharge, sinus pain, coughing and feeling run down.
FACT: They’re not. And they don’t quit working over time, either. “None of the allergy medicines—antihistamines and nasal steroids—are addictive,” Dr. Lee says. “You are dependent only because your symptoms dictate that you take medications. But it doesn’t mean your body is dependent on them or that you’re developing a tolerance to them.” If your symptoms don’t respond as well to antihistamines as they used to, it could be that the intensity of your symptoms is overwhelming the medication’s powers. In that case, Dr. Miller suggests that you speak with your physician about trying a stronger agent.
MYTH: You don’t need to take medication unless your allergy symptoms flare up.
FACT: “It’s best if you start taking meds two weeks before the allergy season starts,” which can prevent symptoms, Dr. Miller says. “It’s a whole lot harder to reverse a reaction than to prevent one.” Understanding the anatomy of an allergic response can put this in perspective. After a hay fever sufferer is exposed to the tiny allergens that are released into the air by trees, grasses, weeds and molds, the allergens bind to mast cells beneath the nasal mucus membrane. These cells contain antibodies that combine with the allergens to release histamine and other inflammatory chemicals, which produces the sniffling and sneezing, the itchy, watery eyes and other bothersome symptoms typical of allergies.
MYTH: Allergies only cause clear nasal discharge.
FACT:It can vary. To some extent, the color of your discharge depends on how long the mucus was sitting in your nose. When it’s fresh, it’s clear. “The longer it sits there, the more concentrated and discolored it becomes,” Dr. Lee explains. “Just because you have darker discharge doesn’t mean you have an infection.” What does suggest an infection: fever, thick discharge, sinus pain, coughing and feeling run down.
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