Allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, is a condition in which the body’s immune system responds and reacts to an environmental allergen. Incredibly common, hay fever affects approximately 40 to 60 million Americans. While many people suffer from symptoms of hay fever, the good news is that the condition is highly treatable with the help of a medical professional.
Hay Fever Symptoms
- Runny nose
- Itchy eyes, mouth, or skin
- Sneezing
- Congestion
- Fatigue
- Cough
Seasonal & Perennial Hay Fever
Despite the name, hay fever doesn’t result from exposure to hay. In fact, the name comes from the popular 19-century misconception that hay fever originates from exposure to hay in the summer. In actuality, there are multiple causes for allergic rhinitis and it can happen at any time of year depending on your allergen.
For some, hay fever occurs year-round and for others, their symptoms may crop up during certain seasons. Seasonal allergic rhinitis affects people during different seasons–often spring, summer, and early fall when pollen or mold spores from trees, grasses, weeds, and flowers become airborne. Some seasons may affect you more than others, especially when your particular allergen is more present in your environment.
Perennial allergic rhinitis occurs year-round due to something in your environment that is difficult to remove or unknown, such as dust mites, cockroaches, pet dander, or mold in the home. Oftentimes, people with perennial allergies aren’t aware that they are allergic to a part of their environment, and they suffer as a result.
Diagnosing Hay Fever
The first step for treating allergic rhinitis is to diagnose the condition. Like many medical diagnoses, this starts with a conversation with a trusted medical professional about your symptoms, medical history, and potential allergy triggers. Your doctor may ask you about your home environment or areas where you spend a great deal of time like the gym or work. After your discussion, your doctor may recommend a skin prick test.
During a skin prick test, a trained medical professional will make several pricks on the skin of your arm or back using a wide array of common allergens to illicit a reaction from the substance that causes your allergies. While the pricks do not hurt, patients may feel like someone is scraping against their skin and it may itch. After administering the pricks, your provider will examine the area for allergic reactions (a hive or small red bump approximately the size of a dime). This reaction will let them know what exactly is causing your allergies, which will help determine treatment. Skin prick tests shouldn’t take more than 15 to 20 minutes.
An allergy blood test is a less common test and works differently than the skin prick test. Your provider will take a sample of your blood and test it to determine your blood’s immune response to specific allergens. A lab will examine how many allergy-causing antibodies are in your blood in order to identify what may be causing your allergic reactions.
Allergy testing eliminates your danger of misdiagnoses, as allergy symptoms can often be confused with other conditions such as a deviated septum, the common cold, and more.
Hay Fever Treatments
Once you have identified your allergen, an allergist can work with you to develop a management or treatment plan. Most approaches to treatment involve a combinational solution of environmental control, medication, and, in some cases, allergy shots.
Environmental Control
For some, simply altering your environment can do a lot to reduce your allergic reaction. Consider washing your bedding, vacuuming carpet and furniture, closing windows and using air conditioning (especially during months with increased outdoor allergens), installing a dehumidifier to reduce mold, or staying indoors during peak times for pollen or other outdoor allergens. If you’re allergic to a pet, consider rehoming or making your bedroom a pet-free space. In some instances, it may be impossible to avoid your allergen, which is where other forms of treatment may be advisable.
Allergy Medication
Many people with hay fever manage their symptoms with allergy and asthma-related medications. Inhalers, nasal sprays, or pills (Allegra or Zyrtec, etc.) are common. While these medications won’t “cure” you of your allergy, they can significantly reduce your allergy symptoms if not eliminate them entirely.
Immunotherapy
For some, medications and environmental control cannot fully conquer allergy symptoms. In those cases, immunotherapy treatment may be the right choice. Immunotherapy works by helping your body build a tolerance for an allergen, which will cut down on the severity of your symptoms and sometimes even eliminate allergic reactions altogether. One of the most common immunotherapy treatment programs is allergy shots. Allergy Shot treatments consist of routine injections of a diluted allergen (sometimes more than one allergen, especially if you react to multiple allergens during your skin prick test) over time to build up immunity.
Make an Appointment with an Allergy Specialist in Chesapeake, VA
At TPMG, our board certified and fellowship trained allergists offer comprehensive allergy testing, immunotherapy treatments, and more, to assist those who experience symptoms of hay fever and other allergic conditions. To get relief from your hay fever symptoms, make an appointment with a TPMG Allergy Specialist in Chesapeake, VA today.
