I'm Allergic To Spring

Ahh-choo! I'm Allergic to Spring!

by Huntsville Allergist

Reprinted From "Parenting In The Shoals" April '97

Ah...what a beautiful season is spring. Birds sing. Flowers

bloom. Trees pollinate. Bees buzz. Looks and sounds idyllic,

doesn't it?

Each year this pleasant pastoral picture brings misery to

allergic persons whose suffering increases as nature ripens her

spring flora.

The main culprits causing spring hayfever, sinusitis, bronchitis,

asthma, and hives are tree pollens.

Spring trees actually begin pollinating in January and

continue pollinating until May. The early pollinating trees

produce pollen so microscopically small as to be unnoticed.

Allergic people who suffer their "annual flu sumptoms" in January

and February may not recognize that tree pollen allergy is the

cause of their symptons. The later pollinating trees produce the

heavy yellow coating that covers our cars.

In May, meadow fescue is often the first grass to pollinate.

The grasses pollinate all summer. Weeds also pollinate all summer,

with the last large burst of pollen occurring in ragweed season --

mid-August until frost.

All year long, microscopic mold spores cause allergic

symptoms, particularly sinusitis, sinus draining, cough, and

bronchitis. Mold spore production has a seasonal increase with

warm spring rains.

The most dangerous of the spring season's allergy problems

are the group of insects called Hymenoptera. These include fire ants,

bees, wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets. For some allergic

persons, one sting can produce a life-threatening allergic reaction.

While living in a bubble or moving to antarctica are the only

sure ways of avoiding spring's annual allergy crop, there are some

precautions that may ease symptoms.

Pollen production is heaviest in the morning and lowest in the

afternoon. The best time for outdoor activities is mid-afternoon.

Avoid the temptaion to have open windows on pleasant spring days.

If windows are opened, mid-afternoon is the best time.

As the sun sets, there is an increase in mold spores,

accounting for the musty night-time odor. Thus, persons with mold

allergy should avoid having windows open at night. Also, the

pollen count begins to increase between two and four o'clock in the

morning.

If allergy symptoms do occur, sometimes the simplest thing may

help, such as grandmother's recipe -- a warm bath. The pollen is

washed away, and the warm moist air loosens secretions. Tight air

passages relax as does the psyche, and symptoms improve.

Another simple treatment is rinsing stuffy nasal passages with

salt water. The recipe is 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/8

teaspoon of table salt in 8 ounces of water. This can be gently

applied to the nasal passsages with a baby ear syringe. all

containers must be scrupulously cleaned to avoid putting bacteria

into the nasal passages. Chlorox is the ideal household

disinfectant.

Over the counter medications can provide quick relief to

allergy sufferers:

*Antihistamines are best used for itching, sneezing, and

watery secretions. Benadryl, Tavist, and Chlortrimeton are common

over the counter antihistamines. The side effects include sedation

and excessive dryness. Antihistamines should not be used for sinus

headache, or if the secretions are thick, or if secretions are

colored yellow or green -- which indicates an infection.

*Decongestants are used to open swollen nasal passages. These

also help sinus headach. Examples of decongestants are

phenylephedrine, phenypropanolamine, and pseudoephedrine.

Pseudoephedrine is the active ingredient in sudafed. The principal

side effects of decongestants are insomnia, palpitations, and

elevated blood pressure.

*Over the counter rapid-acting nose sprays such as Afrin and

Duration are decongestants and, thus, have the same side effects.

In addition, these have an interesting property called

tachyphylaxis. Tachyphylaxis means the more that the nose spray is

used, the less it helps until it produces the opposite action.

Thus, after a few days use, the rapid-acting over the counter nose

sprays begin to produce more closing action than opening action.

Commonly, persons will believe the medication is just not working

as well and will increase the frequency of the nose spray. This

compounds the problem. Labels on these type of nose sprays limit

usage to three days except on instruction of a physician.

*Antihistamines and decongestants are commonly found together

in the same medication. Examples of these are Drixoral, Dimetapp,

Actifed, and Tavist D. The D at the end of a brand name means

decongestant.

*Guaifenesin is a loosining agent for thick secretions and may

be found alone or with other ingredients.

*Many brands add a pain reliever such as acetaminophen, which

is found in Tylenol Sinus preparations.

A recently released over the counter medicaion for nasal

allergy is Nasacrom, which has been a safe and effective

prescription drug for many years. Nasalcrom is a unique drug which

prevents allergy; thus, it must be used regularly and before

exposure. The recommended dosage frequency is four times per day.

For persons with hymenoptera sting reactions, the pattern of

symptoms determine what should be done.

Small local reactions respond to grandmother's recipe -- a

paste of water mixed with meat tenderizer -- which will help digest

the venom. Topical benadryl cream or oral Benadryl and an ice pack

will also help small local reactions. If the reaction persists, an

over the counter topical steroid such as Cortaid will help the

delayed local reaction. These same treatments will help the local

reactions from mosquito bites. Tobacco, saliva, and dirt should

not be used because of the risk of infection.

If a reaction is larger than a 50 cent peice and persists

longer than 48 hours, there is a small but definite risk of having

a more severe reaction with the next sting. Persons with reactions

of this size should be evaluated by an allergist to determine if

they are at risk of having a severe reaction. If they are at risk,

they are prescribed their own precautionary medications to carry

with them at all times.

Allergic people can have a reaction to a sting at a site other

than where stung. This is called a systemic reaction. Common

examples of systemic reactions are itching, rash, shortness of

breath, swelling in the skin or throat, dizziness, palpitations,

nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Anaphylactic shock is the most dangerous of allergic

reactions. Symptoms of this are dizziness, weakness, clammy skin

or sweating, darkness of vision, and even loss of consciousness.

Anyone who has ever had a systemic reaction from an insect

sting has a risk of fatality with a subsequent sting and must be

evaluated by an allergist to learn what can be done to prevent

reactions.

The most pleasant of all springs is a safe and healty spring.

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About the Author: Dr. Linda Markley Livingston is a Johns Hopkins

University trained specialist in Allergy and has practiced in

Huntsville since 1979. She gives a free monthly seminar Allergy,

Asthma, and Sinus Answers at the Huntsville Public Library each

Month. The schedule may be obtained from the library or by calling

Dr. Livingston's office, The Allergy Center of Huntsville, at 205-

533-7021.