How Mild Winters Bring Early Spring Allergy Symptoms
Dr. Jeana S. Bush • March 25, 2019
Let It Snow
A mild winter can mean trouble for Central Georgians who suffer from allergies. Lack of cold weather means the plants pollinate earlier in the year, and a rainy spring will mean faster plant growth and higher mold counts. Anyone with pollen or mold allergies will probably feel the symptoms early in the year!
Pollen and mold are just a few of the many allergens that can lead to the symptoms of allergy. Symptoms may include sneezing, itching, watery eyes, drippy noses, congestion, swelling, coughing or wheezing. Normally the immune system protects our bodies from harmful invaders like bacteria and viruses. In people with allergies, the immune system is distracted by an otherwise harmless substance (also called an “allergen”).
Allergists can discuss alternative treatment options that actually fix the problem, rather than putting a 'band-aid' over the symptoms.
Allergens such as pollen from trees, grasses and weeds, house dust mite particles, pet dander and mold spores often enter our bodies by inhalation. If you have allergies to any of these particles, your immune system responds by causing inflammation in the skin, sinuses, nasal passages, digestive systems and the lungs – leading to symptoms of cough, wheezing and shortness of breath. If these symptoms go untreated for a long time, aside from being miserable, you may also develop lasting effects of chronic sinusitis or even asthma.
If you or your loved ones suffer from any of the above symptoms, it is important to be seen by a doctor board-certified in Allergy/Immunology. Allergists have years of advanced training and experience to properly diagnose the condition and prescribe an appropriate treatment plan to help you or your loved ones feel better and live better. While there are many medications on the market to treat symptoms of allergy, it can be difficult to know which one is right for you depending on your age, overall health, comorbidities, etc. Some of these medications may even cause problems such as drowsiness, high blood pressure and other harmful side effects. In addition, many people often find that these medications stop working after long-term use. Allergists can discuss alternative treatment options that actually fix the problem, rather than putting a “band-aid” over the symptoms.
Don’t waste any time in beautiful Central Georgia hiding indoors. Call and schedule an appointment with one of our board-certified allergists today!
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If you spend any time browsing the internet or social media, you’ve likely seen advertisements for mail-in allergy kits. They promise to test for hundreds of food intolerances and environmental sensitivities using just a few strands of your hair or a quick saliva swab. It sounds incredibly convenient, painless, and comprehensive. But if it sounds like a gimmick, it probably is. While these mail-in tests are heavily marketed, they often lack scientific backing and can leave patients feeling more confused than comforted. The Science of Allergy Testing. What Are We Looking For? To understand why hair and saliva tests don't work, we have to look at how the immune system reacts to allergens. When you have a true allergy, your body produces a very specific type of antibody called IgE (Immunoglobulin E) . These antibodies bind to mast cells (allergy cells), which are on high alert to protect you from perceived invaders like pollen, dust mites, or specific food proteins. The fundamental flaw with mail-in hair and saliva kits comes down to basic biology: Wrong Locations: Mast cells and IgE antibodies are not traditionally found in your hair follicles or saliva. Unreliable Results: Because these testing methods are looking in the wrong place, they are highly unstandardized and unvalidated. You are highly likely to get a flood of false positives or false negatives that are impossible to interpret accurately. What the Experts Say: Major medical organizations strongly advise against these methods. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) explicitly recommends against using hair analysis for food allergy evaluations due to a lack of diagnostic value. Furthermore, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) and the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) have issued strong practice guidelines stating that hair analysis should not be used to evaluate food allergies. The Big Misconception: IgE vs. IgG Many mail-in companies charge anywhere from $150 to upwards of $600 for "sensitivity" panels. When patients produce these multi-page reports, the testing is almost always checking for IgG (Immunoglobulin G) antibodies, not IgE. There is a massive difference between the two:
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