JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO - RANDOLPH, Texas –
Following a raging winter flu season, the proliferation of pollen from trees, flowers, grasses and weeds signifies that spring has sprung in South Texas.
That also means many people – an estimated 30 percent of adults in the United States, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America – are suffering from the unwanted effects of all that pollen: sneezing, coughing, nasal congestion, runny nose and itchy, watery eyes.
“We see at least five to 10 patients a day who are suffering from allergy symptoms,” said Capt. Holly Parker, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Family Health Clinic physician assistant. “We started seeing patients with allergies when the weather got a little warmer in late February and early March.”
One of the most common chronic diseases, allergies occur when the body’s immune system sees a substance as harmful and overreacts to it, making an antibody called immunoglobulin E. The symptoms that result are allergic reactions.
In addition to pollen, other types of allergens are medicines, food, insects that sting, household pests like cockroaches and dust mites, latex, mold and pet dander.
Allergies can be a nuisance or worse, but there are ways to alleviate the symptoms, Parker said.
“We recommend to our patients that they take allergy medications,” she said. “Medications decrease the allergy response.”
Although the San Antonio area consistently ranks as one of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation’s “most challenging places to live with spring allergens,” Parker said that taking allergy medicine is not just a springtime regimen for many people who live in this area.
“In San Antonio, you have year-round allergens,” she said.
Fortunately, over-the-counter medicines are effective in relieving allergy symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose and watery eyes, Parker said.
Oral medications and steroid nasal sprays prevent the effects of histamine, a substance produced by the body that can cause all those symptoms.
Immunotherapy, or allergy shots, is sometimes recommended, but only as a last resort when people do not respond well to oral medications or nasal therapy or are unable to control their symptoms with conventional treatments.
Parker suggested other ways to combat allergies.
“It’s good to take a shower before you go to bed to wash off all the pollen that’s accumulated during the day; if not, the pollen will get all over your sheets and pillow,” she said.
It’s also good to take a shower after doing yard work, Parker said.
Inside the house, vacuuming the floor helps get rid of dust and pollen, she said.
Avoidance is another strategy in dealing with allergens, Parkers said.
“Be sure to check the pollen counts,” she said. “Limit your time outdoors when the counts are high.”
Although allergies are sometimes mistaken for colds, there is a distinction, Parker said.
Colds also exhibit symptoms such as coughing and sneezing, but they are also accompanied by fever, chills and body aches, she said.
In addition, allergy symptoms last longer than cold symptoms and nasal discharges with allergies tend to be clear rather than thick and colored.
Parker said people suffering from allergies should keep taking their medication for four to six weeks.
“If they’re not getting better, they should see an allergy specialist,” she said.
JBSA allergy specialists are available at Brooke Army Medical Center and Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center.