| About
20% of the US population or 35 million people suffer from
hay fever or allergic rhinitis. Spring allergy season is already
upon us. Trees pollinate during early spring and grasses during
late spring. Cedar is the earliest tree that starts pollinating
in Huntsville.
Treatment approach for seasonal allergies
include:
1. Environmental control or Allergen avoidance:
Pollens are difficult to avoid. Individuals
who suffer from allergies should avoid outdoor activity during
peak pollen times. Trees and grasses pollinate mainly during
early morning hours (5-10 AM).
You should keep windows closed in the house
and car and operate your air conditioner.
2. Medication treatment:
Patients should start medication (antihistamines,
Nasalcrom nose spray or cortisone nose spray) a week before
and throughout the season.
3. Allergy vaccination or Allergy shots:
Allergy shots are used for those with moderate
to severe allergies who are not easily controlled on medications
or who cannot tolerate medications. Shots can also be offered
for those who desire permanent relief after 3-5 years of treatment.
Allergy shots reduce the need for medications and provide
the possibility of long-term benefit after 3-5 years of treatment.
This was clearly shown in a recent landmark
study published in New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers
at Imperial College in London treated grass allergic patients
with monthly allergy shots for 4 years. Patients significantly
improved compared to a control group treated with medications.
After stopping allergy shots, patients continued to get benefit
for an additional 3 years.
Related research has also shown that allergy
shots prevent the development of persistent asthma and also
reduce the development of new allergies. Research has also
shown that allergy shots prevent the development of persistent
asthma in individuals with hay fever and reduce the development
of new allergies.
The allergy shot program consists of a "buildup
phase" where individuals start with a very small amount
of allergenic extract and progress on a weekly basis to reach
a "maintenance dose". This maintenance dose is the
dose that gives clinical benefit. Once a patient reaches the
maintenance dose, he/she can get shots once every 2-4 weeks
during the "maintenance phase" which usually lasts
for a period of 3-5 years. It generally takes 5-10 months
to reach the maintenance dose with the traditional weekly
build- up program.
There is a procedure that permits a more rapid
build-up towards the maintenance dose. Rush Immunotherapy
is a procedure that involves repeated injections of allergenic
extracts over a 6-8 hour period to reach a maintenance or
near-maintenance dose. Pre-treatment, with medications used
during the Rush Immunotherapy procedure, reduces the chances
of generalized and localized allergic reaction.
The reaction rate is not increased compared
to the traditional build-up method. Allergy shots are dose
dependent. In Rush Immunotherapy, by reaching the maintenance
dose quicker, patients get clinical benefit much sooner than
with the traditional method.
What
are Antihistamine drugs? |
How
does it work? | What
is it used for? | Who
can use it?|
Side
effects|
Managing
Allergies During Pregnancy|
Asthma
in Pregnancy|
How
To Survive Spring Allergies|
Allegra
A Common Anti Allergy Drug|
Practical
Measures to Prevent and Treat Allergy|
Give
Your Allergies A Sniffle-Free Spring
|
