Allergy Myths       •       Allergy FAQs       •       How to Reduce Allergens       •       Sinusitis       •       Pediatric Allergies

Dispelling Myths About Nasal Allergies
Nasal allergies can sometimes be hard to understand, and even harder to explain. For this reason, you may have heard several myths about nasal allergies. Understanding the facts about nasal allergies will help you to better understand and take care of your symptoms.

Myth #1, Hay Fever is really caused by hay.
Nasal allergies are often referred to as hay fever, even though they may have nothing to do with hay. Also, they do not cause a fever. This myth most likely started because allergy season begins during hay harvesting season in many areas.

Myth #2, Moving is a good way to cure allergies.
You may think that seasonal nasal allergies will disappear if you move to a different climate. While the place you move to may not have the tree, weed, or grass that you’re allergic to, it may have other types of pollen or mold. You may develop a sensitivity to these other pollens and molds over time.

Myth #3, Allergies are all in your head.
Allergies are a real medical condition that affects the immune system. Emotional stress may worsen symptoms, but allergies are not caused by emotions.

Myth #4, Short-haired pets are better than long-haired pets.
If you are allergic to cats or dogs, you are allergic to the saliva, urine, or dander (skin scales), not the hair. The best way to relieve symptoms is to keep the pet out of your bedroom, and out of the house when possible.

Myth #5, Allergies are harmless.
Allergies are a serious problem and should be treated that way. If left untreated, nasal allergies can lead to other serious complications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there one particular season that’s worse for sneezing?
Not really. In spring, trees and flowers pollinate sending millions of pollen grains into the air. Summertime is the grass and weed pollen season. And, in fall, those with allergies may react to both ragweed and mold. Winter signals the onset of the indoor allergy season. The most common indoor nasal allergens are dust mite and cockroach droppings, mold, and animal dander.

Why do you feel better on some days rather than others?
There is a reason for that. Weather conditions make a difference in the amount of pollen and mold spores that are airborne at any one time. On those hot, dry, windy days of summer, pollen and mold particles are plentiful, meaning allergy sufferers suffer more. If you’re an allergy sufferer, you’ll probably feel better on rainy, cloudy, still days when pollen does not move around as much.

Do you know what plants, trees grasses, and weeds to watch out for?
Unfortunately, there are thousands of things that produce airborne allergies. Pollens can travel 2 miles high and as far as 300 miles, but some pollens are more easily carried off in the air than others.

What is the pollen count?
If you are an avid watcher of the Weather Channel, you could be checking the pollen count. A pollen count measures the number of pollen grains per cubic meter of air collected during a specific time period. A pollen count reported today, however, is an estimate based upon the pollen in the air yesterday. Pollen counts are generally higher on hot, sunny days. The higher the pollen count, the worse a seasonal allergy sufferer will feel.

Did you know there is a fungus among us?
There is and it’s called mold. Molds, plants in the fungus family, grow anywhere it’s dark and moist. That can mean on rotting logs, in piles of fallen leaves or compost piles, and on certain grasses, weeds, and grains. They even grow inside your home.  An- don’t look now- mold loves shower stalls, refrigerators, houseplants, air conditioners, garbage cans, and mattresses.

What are dust mites?
OK. So you don’t see any bugs crawling around on your covers, but they’re there! Dust mites are microscopic insects that live in house dust, under mattresses, and deep down in carpeting. They feed on dead human skin scales and inhaling their waste products is what causes an allergic reaction.

What about my pet?
You love your dog or cat like they’re part of the family, but your pets could be making you sick. Animals with hair or feathers are a common source of allergic reactions. What causes the problem is animal dander (tiny particles animals shed), the saliva on fur he’s licked and shed, and his urine after it dries and particles become airborne. Allergies to animals could take 2 years, or even longer, to develop and may not end until 6 or more months after your pet has moved on to greener pastures.

What’s in the air and how can I avoid it?
The best way to prevent an allergy attack is to stay away from the substance that triggers a reaction. But you can’t really eliminate pollen and other airborne allergens from your life altogether. Do what you can to avoid the things that make your allergies flare, take your allergy medication and help your doctor monitor you condition by visiting his office regularly.

Simple Solutions to Reduce or Eliminate Allergens
The best way for you to avoid the signs and symptoms of allergies in your own home is to avoid exposure to the allergens (dust mites, mold, pollen, and pet allergen) that cause problems. Effective environmental control can reduce or eliminate the need for medicine.

Pets
Pets are like members of the family, but the tiny flakes of dried skin they shed could be triggering your nasal allergies. In addition to these flakes, or dander, some people are also sensitive to the saliva, urine and blood of their pets. What if you can’t part with your best friend? You might not have to. Here are some measures that you can take to lessen your chances of an allergy attack.

Tips

• Wipe down indoor surfaces frequently to remove animal hair and dander.
• Keep your pets outdoors as much as possible, and a least out of the bedroom. Make your bedroom an allergy-free zone and teach animals to stay off upholstered furniture where pet dander might stick to the fabric. Remember carpeting and furniture can retain allergens for 3 – 6 weeks after the animal has moved on.
• Use HEPA air filters to remove microscopic particles of animal dander and hair from room air.
• Don’t install carpeting if you have a choice, otherwise vacuum frequently using a HEPA vacuum cleaner.
• Use a dust mask when cleaning.
• Install High Efficiency Low Pressure Air (HELPA) filters on home heating and air conditioning systems.
• Cover room heating and air conditioning vents with vent filter clothes to filter the air.
• Wash your pet weekly with a dander-reducing shampoo, then follow with an anti-dander spray to remove accumulated pollen from outside and pet dander. Also try having a non-allergic person regularly brush your pet outside to help keep your pets pollen and dander at bay.
• Wash your hands after touching you pet.

Dust Mites
You can’t see them. You can’t hear them, but there are tiny critters living in your house dust that could be stirring up trouble for you if you’re an allergy suffer. Dust mites are the most common cause of perennial (year-round) allergies. Some 20 million people in the US are allergic to dust mites. Dust mites are the little creatures that feed off flakes of human skin, live deep down in carpets, furniture and bedding. Dust mites are less than a third of a millimeter in length. Their waste products when inhaled by sensitive people, can cause an allergic reactions similar to those caused by pollen.

Isn’t dust just dust?
Household dust is a conglomeration of many different things- fabric fibers, pet dander, food particles, plant and insect parts, mold and fungus spores, and dust mites and their waste products. A protein in dust mites’ waste products is what can cause an allergic reaction.

What can I do to eliminate or reduce the amount of dust mites and dust in my home?

Tips

• Wash bedding weekly in hot water. Dry on high to kill dust mites.
• Use anti-allergen encasements for bedding, including pillows, mattresses, duvet covers, and box springs.
• Vacuum thoroughly using a High Efficiency Particulate Arresting (HEPA) filter vacuum and bags that seal in dust.
• Clean thoroughly once a week using equipment that traps dust rather than releasing it back into the air.
• Filter the air with a HEPA air purifier, which will eliminate 99.7 percent of indoor airborne allergens.
• Dehumidify the air. Dust mites thrive in humidity levels above 50 percent. Reduce humidity levels to between 30-50 percent with a dehumidifier. Use a small dehumidifier to remove excess moisture from closets, cabinets and other small, enclosed spaces. Monitor humidity levels with a hygrometer.
• Use High Efficiency Low Pressure Air (HELPA) air filters on heating and air conditioning systems.
• Replace non-washable stuffed toys with hypo-allergenic toys that can be washed in hot water.
• Avoid wall-to-wall carpeting, blinds, upholstered furniture, wool blankets, and down-filled covers and pillows.
• Use roll-type shades on your windows in place of curtains.

Mold
Mold is one of the four most common allergic triggers, especially in humid areas. Avoiding exposure to mold spores is central to effective treatment. High humidity promotes growth of mold spores in places such as damp basements, closets, refrigerator drip pans, air conditioners, garbage pails, and shower stalls. For many allergy sufferers, mold allergies are a problem throughout the year. Molds reproduce by releasing “spores” into the air. They thrive in damp, dark places and are often found in soil, growing on vegetation, or in piles of fallen leaves.

Here are a few tips for limiting your exposure to this common allergy instigator:

Tips

• Clean the refrigerator drip pan every few months. When mold grows in this pan, the refrigerator fan blows the mold spores into the room.
• Remove visible mold with non-toxic cleaning products.
• Keep the humidity level in your home below 50 percent with an air conditioner or dehumidifier and monitor humidity levels by using a hygrometer.
• Use exhaust fans in the kitchen and the bathroom.
• Check air conditioner vents and under the sink for water leaks. Address water leaks immediately.
• Wear a protective mask while gardening, raking, or mowing.
• Open windows on days when humidity levels are low to air out the house.
• Use a HEPA air purifier to reduce indoor airborne mold spores.
• Install High Efficiency Low Pressure Air (HELPA) filters on home heating and air condition systems to trap mold spores.
• Remove houseplants from your home. Soil is a place molds like to grow.

Pollen
There are 35.0 million people who are allergic to pollen. Avoiding exposure to pollen is central to effective treatment.

Tips

• Avoid outdoor activities in the morning. Days that are dry and breezy have higher pollen counts, so exercise indoors to avoid allergens.
• Avoid mowing the lawn.
• Keep car windows up and air conditioning on when you’re driving.
• Wear a HEPA filter mask when pollen counts are high to avoid outdoor pollen exposure.
• Close all your windows at home. Use filter screens if windows must be opened, and a window fan with built-in filter.
• Try not to hang laundry outside during pollen season.
• Remove shoes before entering your home. Shower and wash your hair every night before going to bed. Pollen collects on clothing, hair, and exposed parts of your body.
• Use HELPA air filters on heating and air conditioning systems.

Traveling with Nasal Allergies
Who wants to wake up to a runny, stuffy nose or sneezing on vacation? You should not have to deal with nasal allergies when you travel, and to help make your vacation a pleasant time for you and you family, here are some important travel tips to keep in mind.

Tips

• Pack your medication
• It may not be pollen season at home, but it may very well be pollen season where you are traveling. For an on-line map of pollen counts throughout the united states, visit www.aaaai.org, www.pollen.com, www.breathingzone.com, or call 1-800-9-POLLEN.
• Be sure to sleep indoors in a room with air conditioning.
• Keep the windows closed and run the air conditioner to keep pollen and mold spores from joining you. Before heading off on a road trip, run the air conditioner or heater and open the windows for about 10 minutes. This will help remove the dust mites or mold spores built up in your ventilation system.
• Avoid using hotel closets if you are allergic to mold spores. Since mold spores grow in dark, damp areas, closets and dressers are common breeding grounds.
• Avoid rooms near the swimming pool, beach, or woods. They are likely to have a higher concentration of molds.
• Pack your own allergy-proof covers or pillows and mattresses.
• Ask for a pet-free room, remember pet dander can stay around 3-6 weeks after a pet leaves the room.
• Always carry your doctor’s phone number with you in case you have question, or if your symptoms become a problem.

NOTE: Many of the same steps apply to reducing airborne irritants including tobacco smoke, fuel particles and chemicals, such as using a HEPA air filter, but there are different approaches for detection and avoidance.

Sinusitis

Have you ever had a cold or allergy attack that wouldn’t go away? If so, there’s a good chance you actually had sinusitis. Experts estimate that 37 million people are afflicted with sinusitis each year, making it one of the most common health conditions in America. That number may be significantly higher, since the symptoms of bacterial sinusitis often mimic those of colds or allergies, and many sufferers never see a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment with an antibiotic.

What is sinusitis?
Acute bacterial sinusitis is an infection of the sinus cavities caused by bacteria. It usually is preceded by a cold, allergy attack, or irritation by environmental pollutants. Unlike a cold, or allergy, bacterial sinusitis requires a physician’s diagnosis and treatment with an antibiotic to cure the infection and prevent future complications.

Normally, mucus collecting in the sinuses drains into the nasal passages. When you have a cold or allergy attack, your sinuses become inflamed and are unable to drain. This can lead to congestion and infection. Diagnosis of acute sinusitis usually is based on a physical examination and a discussion of your symptoms. Your doctor also may use x-rays of your sinuses or obtain a sample of your nasal discharge to test for bacteria.

When Acute Becomes Chronic Sinusitis
When you have frequent sinusitis, or the infection lasts three months or more, it could be chronic sinusitis. Symptoms of chronic sinusitis may be less severe than those of acute; however, untreated chronic sinusitis can cause damage to the sinuses and cheekbones that sometimes requires surgery to repair.

Treating Sinusitis
Bacterial sinusitis: Therapy for bacterial sinusitis should include an appropriate antibiotic. If you have three or more symptoms of sinusitis (see chart), be sure to see your doctor for diagnosis. In addition to an antibiotic, an oral or nasal spray or drop decongestant may be recommended to relieve congestion, although you should avoid prolonged use of nonprescription nasal sprays or drops. Inhaling steam or using saline nasal sprays or drops can help relieve sinus discomfort.

Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotic resistance means that some infection-causing bacteria are immune to the effects of certain antibiotics prescribed by your doctor. Antibiotic resistance is making even common infections, such as sinusitis, challenging to treat. You can help prevent antibiotic resistance. If the doctor prescribes an antibiotic, it is important that you take all of the medication just as your doctor instructs, even if your symptoms are gone before the medicine runs out.

Chronic Sinusitis
If your doctor thinks you have chronic sinusitis, intensive antibiotic therapy may be prescribed. Surgery is sometimes necessary to remove physical obstructions that may contribute to sinusitis.

Sinus Surgery
Surgery should be considered only if medical treatment fails or if there is a nasal obstruction that cannot be corrected with medications. The type of surgery is chosen to best suit the patient and the disease. Surgery can be performed under the upper lip, behind the eyebrow, next to the nose or scalp, or inside the nose itself.

Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is recommended for certain types of sinus disease. With the endoscope, the surgeon can look directly into the nose, while at the same time, removing diseased tissue and polyps and clearing the narrow channels between the sinuses. The decision whether to use local or general anesthesia will be made between you and your doctor, depending on your individual circumstances.

Before surgery, be sure that you have realistic expectations for the results, recovery, and postoperative care. Good results require not only good surgical techniques, but a cooperative effort between the patient and physician throughout the healing process. It is equally important for patients to follow pre- and postoperative instructions.

Preventing Sinusitis
As always, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. To avoid developing sinusitis during a cold or allergy attack, keep your sinuses clear by:

• using an oral decongestant or a short course of nasal spray decongestant
• gently blowing your nose, blocking one nostril while blowing through the other
• drinking plenty of fluids to keep nasal discharge thin
• avoiding air travel. If you must fly, use a nasal spray decongestant before take-off to prevent blockage of the sinuses allowing mucus to drain
• If you have allergies, try to avoid contact with things that trigger attacks. If you cannot, use over-the-counter or prescription antihistamines and/or a prescription nasal spray to control allergy attacks

Allergy testing, followed by appropriate allergy treatments, may increase your tolerance of allergy-causing substances. If you believe you may have sinusitis, see our tips for sinusitis sufferers.

When to See a Doctor
Because the symptoms of sinusitis sometimes mimic those of colds and allergies, you may not realize you need to see a doctor. If you suspect you have sinusitis, review these signs and symptoms. If you suffer from three or more, you should see your doctor.

How Allergies Affect Your Child’s Health

Your child has been diagnosed with allergic rhinitis, a physiological response to specific allergens such as pet dander or ragweed. The symptoms are fairly simple — a runny nose (rhinitis), watery eyes, and some periodic sneezing. The best solution is to administer over-the-counter antihistamine, and the problem will resolve on its own ….right?

Not really – the interrelated structures of the ears, nose, and throat can cause certain medical problems which trigger additional disorders – all with the possibility of serious consequences.

Simple hay fever can lead to long term problems in swallowing, sleeping, hearing, and breathing. Let’s see what else can happen to a child with a case of hay fever.

• Ear infections: One of children’s most common medical problems is otitis media, or middle ear infection. These infections are especially common in early childhood. They are even more common when children suffer from allergic rhinitis (hay fever) as well. Allergic inflammation can cause swelling in the nose and around the opening of the Eustachian tube (ear canal). This swelling has the potential to interfere with drainage of the middle ear. When bacteria laden discharge clogs the tube, infection is more likely.
• Sore throats: The hay fever allergens may lead to the formation of too much mucus which can make the nose run or drip down the back of the throat, leading to “post-nasal drip.” It can lead to cough, sore throats, and husky voice. Although more common in older people and in dry inland climates, thick, dry mucus can also irritate the throat and be hard to clear. Air conditioning, winter heating, and dehydration can aggravate the condition. Paradoxically, antihistamines will do so as well. Some newer antihistamines do not produce dryness.
• Snoring: Chronic nasal obstruction is a frequent symptom of seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and perennial (year-round) allergic rhinitis. This allergic condition may have a debilitating effect on the nasal turbinates, the small, shelf-like, bony structures covered by mucous membranes (mucosa). The turbinates protrude into the nasal airway and help to warm, humidify, and cleanse air before it reaches the lungs. When exposed to allergens, the mucosa can become inflamed. The blood vessels inside the membrane swell and expand, causing the turbinates to become enlarged and obstruct the flow of air through the nose. This inflammation, or rhinitis, can cause chronic nasal obstruction that affects individuals during the day and night.

Enlarged turbinates and nasal congestion can also contribute to headaches and sleep disorders such as snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, because the nasal airway is the normal breathing route during sleep. Once turbinate enlargement becomes chronic, it is irreversible except with surgical intervention.



• Pediatric sinusitis: Allergic rhinitis can cause enough inflammation to obstruct the openings to the sinuses. Consequently, a bacterial sinus infection occurs. The disease is similar for children and adults. Children may or may not complain of pain. However, in acute sinusitis, they will often have pain and typically have fever and a purulent nasal discharge. In chronic sinusitis, pain and fever are not evident. Some children may have mood or behavior changes. Most will have a purulent, runny nose and nasal congestion even to the point where they must mouth breathe. The infected sinus drains around the Eustachian tube, and therefore many of the children will also have a middle ear infection.
• Seasonal allergic rhinitis may resolve after a short period. Administration of the proper over-the-counter antihistamines may alleviate the symptoms. However, if your child suffers from perennial (year round) allergic rhinitis, an examination by specialist will assist in preventing other ear, nose and throat problems from occurring.