Seasonal Allergies: Taking the Itch Out of Fall Allergies

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Tuesday, 26 February 2008

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Seasonal Allergies: Taking the Itch Out of Fall Allergies
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Watch What You Eat

Researchers say another little known fact about fall seasonal allergies is that certain foods can trigger allergy symptoms in people who suffer from ragweed allergies.

Up to 50% of people who are allergic to ragweed may also experience a tingling, burning, or itching in the mouth when they eat certain foods due to a similar allergy trigger in ragweed and those foods, including melons, banana, zucchini, cucumber, sunflower seeds, and chamomile teas.

The person with ragweed allergy becomes particularly sensitive to other allergy triggers when they are bombarded with ragweed pollen in the fall, says Atkins.

That means that even if someone ate a little bit of watermelon at the beginning of the summer and experienced only mild tingling and burning, they might have a more powerful response in the fall after exposure to ragweed.

When All Else Fails

Experts say treating and preventing seasonal allergies sometimes takes a lot of trial and error. But if one medication or approach doesn't work, talk to a doctor about testing to determine if year-round allergy triggers may be causing your symptoms, such as pet dander.

For people with allergies that last for more than six months a year and/or have tried antihistamines, decongestants, and corticosteroid nasal sprays without success, allergy shots may also be another option. Allergy shots require a regular series of shots that contain small amounts of the allergy trigger to eventually desensitize the person to the allergy trigger.

But for the majority of people who suffer from brief bouts of seasonal allergy symptoms, Randolph says the goal is to use nonsedating prescription antihistamines and avoid the sedating over-the-counter medications that might interact with other medications, particularly drugs used to treat high blood pressure.

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SOURCES: Clifford Bassett, MD, medical director, Allergy and Asthma Care of New York. Christopher Randolph, MD, associate clinical professor of allergy, immunology, and pediatrics, Yale University; spokesman, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Dan Atkins, MD, director of ambulatory pediatrics, National Jewish Medical & Research Center. American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.