Allergens spring up as seasons change

April 3, 2008

Allergens spring up as seasons change

By TAMMY KRIKORIAN
tkrikorian@rgj.com

The beauty of spring blossoms brings something less desirable to Northern Nevadans: allergy season.

Dr. Leonard Shapiro, an allergist with Allergy & Asthma Associates, said trees have been pollinating since late February. Wetter winters, such as the one experienced this year, can make allergy season worse, Shapiro said.

"In wet years, there's heavier growth in plants and we do have more problems than in drought times," he said.

Tim Miles of Reno said he suffers from allergies in the spring and fall and has been feeling symptoms for about a month, including sneezing, congestion and ringing in the ears.

"(Spring) doesn't affect me as harsh as fall does, personally," Miles said.

Miles said he is allergic to ragweed, wheat, grasses and sagebrush. Symptoms are worse on windy days, he said, and when it's really bad, he gets run down.

"I sleep an extra hour or two hours a day during the height of the allergy season," he said.

Peak allergy season, and how long allergy season lasts, has to do with an individual's allergies, Shapiro said. Allergy season generally begins with tree pollination in the spring, continues with grasses in the summer and wraps up with weeds in early to late fall.

"We usually get a rush (of patients) in the spring," he said. "It stays busy spring through fall."

It starts with Juniper trees, followed by maple trees, then elms. Each lasts a couple of weeks, and in June the pine trees begin pollinating, especially noticeable at Lake Tahoe. Shapiro said most people aren't allergic to pine, but some are, and the pollination can last into fall.

Grass allergies usually kick in around May, and toward the end of July weeds such as Russian Thistle start. Next comes sagebrush and ragweed in late August and September.

Relief comes with a killing frost, except for those allergic to winter allergens such as pets, mold or a house dust mite.

Knowing you're allergic

Symptoms can include nasal congestion; a runny nose, usually with clear, watery mucus; itchy watery burning eyes; slight swelling around the eyes; and sneezing, said Dr. Kent Elliott of the Renown North Valleys Clinic.

Some cases produce itching, a rash such or hives. Those who go untreated will develop a cough, Elliott said, and people with asthma will notice an increase in wheezing or shortness of breath.

Shapiro said a fever or yellow and green mucus could indicate an infection rather than an allergy.

"Sometimes you can have a cold or virus on top of an allergy or vice-versa," he said.

How you become allergic

Most people begin developing allergies in childhood, Shapiro said.

"But for the individual, you can't say because you didn't have (an allergy) in childhood you're not going to have it as an adult," he said.

Changes in job, like moving from an indoor to and outdoor job or working with animals, could bring on an allergy.

Some people develop allergies when they move. For example, more ragweed grows east of Colorado than locally, Shapiro said. And more sagebrush grows in Northern Nevada than in the East.

People who move here may begin to develop symptoms after two or three years.

Treating an allergy

"In general we say if you can avoid what you're allergic to, that would solve problem," Shapiro said. For example, if you're allergic to cats, don't keep them as pets.

"Very often, avoidance doesn't work very well, especially with pollen allergy," he said. "Days when pollen counts are high, try to stay indoors."

Shapiro said it helps to keep doors and windows shut and to have air conditioning in the home and car because the air is filtered. Pollen can also end up in hair, so brushing or washing hair before bed can prevent it from ending up on the pillow. Wearing a hat outdoors is also a good idea.

Over-the-counter medications such as Claritin, Zyrtec or Sudafed can treat an allergy. If they don't work or have side effects, Shapiro said patients can be tested to find out what they're allergic to and receive shots.

Over-the-counter treatments such as nose sprays and eye drops should not be overused because they can cause reverse problems or make problems worse, Shapiro said. He recommends using them no more than five times a month or getting a prescription.

Chuck Boiselle, a pharmacist at Don's Pharmacy, said Zyrtec's switch earlier this year from prescription to over-the-counter hasn't had a huge impact because insurances haven't been covering allergy medications as much since Claritin went over-the-counter.

"(I also) tell someone to take a hot shower to get rid of a clog," he said.

Neti pots, which irrigate the nose with a saline solution, have also been popular, Boiselle said.

"The work pretty good, clearing the sinuses or allergens," he said.

Miles, born and raised in the area, said eating local honey or taking stinging nettle in pill form mellows out his allergy symptoms, though they don't completely go away. The pollen in the honey is supposed to counteract the allergic reaction, Miles said.

Last fall, he also got a steroid shot to help his symptoms.

For indoor allergies, Elliott said minimizing items such as stuffed animals, which can collect dust, and keeping curtains vacuumed will help.

"There's a lot of online allergy places where you can get special pillow covers, mattress covers, to protect the person from the dust that comes out of those items," he said. "Pillows, mattresses and bedding are a big source of allergens indoors."