York, PA – Shannon McElroy wakes up with a stuffy nose almost every day.

Since moving to York from Baltimore in 2010, she has had reactions to seasonal allergies. this year, she’s one of the many people experiencing early spring hay fever — seasonal allergic rhinitis — symptoms because of the warmer-than-usual winter.

McElroy, 31, said her nasal congestion started becoming more severe in mid-February.

“They have really been bothering me . . . because the weather has been so weird,” she said.

McElroy takes Alavert and uses Nasonex, but she hasn’t yet been to an allergist to figure out what exactly is causing her reactions.

“I’m hoping that I can get in to see an allergist soon and maybe get some relief,” she said.

Dr. David Coutin of Allergy & Asthma Consultants Inc. in Spring Garden Township said tree pollen is the main culprit in the spring. he said he’s already seen an increase in patients with sneezing, itchy eyes, nasal congestion and difficulty breathing.

Coutin said that trees started pollinating early this year and that the pollen count is about 25 percent higher than last year so far. Tree pollen counts peak at different times each year, with the average being the last week of April or first week of may. he said the count peaked last year April 8. he anticipates an early peak this year, as well.

Kelly Navarro, lab supervisor, said she recorded a pollen count Monday of 85 grains per cubic meter in York County, with maple as the dominant pollinator. She said that 90 and above is considered high and that many of the local trees — willow, pine, oak, maple, cedar and juniper — are producing pollen.

People with hay fever can be allergic to one or several trees. For those who are allergic to all pollinating trees: “This (Monday) is not a good day for them,” Navarro said.

Coutin said an early start to seasonal allergic rhinitis doesn’t necessarily mean a longer period of symptoms for sufferers. After tree pollen, pollen from grass, weeds and ragweed — respectively — trigger reactions until the first frost.

He said temperature and rainfall affect how soon grass pollinates.

Coutin said there could be some relief for people with allergies today if the temperature dropped to freezing last night and temporarily shut down pollen production.

However, if you have symptoms, don’t wait for them to blow over.

“Allergies do not go away,” he said.

771-2101; @leighzaleski

Allergy advice

Dr. Michael Nickels of Allergy & Asthma Consultants in Spring Garden Township said people suffering from seasonal allergies typically use antihistamines such as Allegra, Zyrtec and Claritin; as well as Flonase and Nasonex.

He recommends allergy shots when a patient’s symptoms aren’t reduced by medications.

Nickels said people with hay fever should try to avoid pollen by closing windows, bathing pets and showering after being outside.

“If it’s bad, see your allergist,” he said.

Natural remedies

Dr. Diane Hawk of Hawk’s Natural Health Consultations in Springettsbury Township said she received some early calls from clients suffering from seasonal allergies once trees started budding. One of her East Coast suppliers ran out of an allergy formula she offers because of the early onset, so she had to order it from the West Coast.

People who are sensitive to medications or who want to avoid drowsiness might seek natural remedies. Hawk advises specific herbs and supplements based on an individual’s history and condition. She provided these general natural recommendations for allergy symptoms:

— use Neti Pots and nasal rinses help remove pollen from the nose to mitigate symptoms.

— Eat more vitamin-C-rich foods, such as citrus fruits and broccoli.

— Quercetin, a plant-derived flavonoid found in many fruits, flowers and vegetables, acts as an antihistamine and might reduce allergy symptoms. Stinging Nettles also have an antihistamine effect. These are sold as supplements.

Wednesday April 6, 2011

Spring finally has arrived after the long Berkshire winter. Gone is most of the snow, but pollens, grasses and weeds are emerging. Many children have seasonal allergies that occur during the spring months. Seasonal allergies also can be referred to as hay fever and allergic rhinitis.

Common symptoms of seasonal allergies include a stuffy or runny nose with clear drainage, sneezing, itchy eyes and nose, sore throat, throat clearing and a cough that may be worse at night and in the morning. Some children have an “allergic salute” a common habit which consists of rubbing their nose upward which can lead to a small crease in the skin of the nose. Children with seasonal allergies commonly have “allergic shiners” which are dark circles under the eyes caused by nasal congestion.

Seasonal allergies tend to occur in certain families and are more common in children that have eczema or asthma. Children who are exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke, air pollution and pets tend to have seasonal allergies. Untreated seasonal allergies can make asthma worse, cause a secondary sinus infection, ear infections and poor concentration in school.

To prevent seasonal allergy symptoms it is good to keep windows closed in the car and at home to avoid exposure to pollens and limit outdoor activities when pollen counts are highest (early morning for tree pollen in the spring, afternoon and early evening for grasses in the summer and midday for ragweed in the fall).

If you think your child has seasonal allergies, consult your primary-care physician about treatment. Seasonal allergy symptoms can be controlled with antihistamines, decongestants and topical steroid nasal spray. It is best to start using seasonal allergy medicines just before your child’s seasonal allergy begins and continue the medicines every day through the season. Saline nose drops one to three times a day also can help seasonal allergies by helping sinuses drain. Some children, despite seasonal allergy treatment, may need to see an allergy specialist.

Nancy Hopper is a registered nurse and holds a bachelor of science degree in nursing. she has been the school nurse at Craneville Elementary School for four years, and she is also a staff nurse at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield.

You will find innumerable drugs available to deal with the allergy symptoms, but any medication that work well for one individual might not work at all for some other, especially if the allergy symptoms are not the same. Allergy products reduce the result of your body to allergens. These medications can be found as liquids, tablets, eye drops, shots and skin lotions.

Best Allergy Medication

Nasonex, Flonase and many other nasal steroid sprays would be best to treat the allergic rhinitis, but also for these medicines to be effective, they need to be used regularly. so many people are unpleasant using the spray within their nose, however relief from the symptoms may be worth the hassle.

Antihistamines such as Clarined, Allegra and Zyrtec are one of the best allergy medicines, and therefore are very effective in treating the common food allergies , seasonal allergies and other types of allergies. These medications work nicely on the as-needed basis and are also effective in treating the eye allergies.

Singulair is also considered among the best allergy medicines, and delay pills work similar to antihistamine, however, it blocks leukotrienes, which is another chemical mediator of allergies. this medication is available by prescription, and is obtainable in pill and chewable tablet form. A few of the medications which are considered best allergy medications are the ones which have leukotriene blockers in them. Decongestants will also be considered among the best allergy medicines as congestion is the significant problem faced through the allergy sufferer. Decongestants can effectively reduce the problem, and many of the OTC decongestants are quite powerful to treat the allergic reactions. for additional chronic reactions, prescription allergy medication varieties are also available.

Lots of people believe that SinuCleanse is the best allergy medication, and it is obtainable in both squeeze and pot container. it is basically salt that breaks up or gets dry the boogers within the nose, helping breathing.

to select the  best allergy medication, you need to have the great understanding of your allergic reactions and triggers. There are lots of combination allergy drugs that combine decongestant and antihistamines, or asthma treatment drug with antihistamines. most people feel that fundamental essentials best allergy medicines to treat common seasonal allergy symptoms and other types of allergy symptoms.

the easiest method to prevent the allergic reactions however would be to avoid the triggers, but it is not an easy move to make. You may also go ahead and take allergy shots that slowly de-sensitize you to your allergens over the period of time. Speaking to your doctor and doing a bit of research over internet is a great strategy for finding the very best allergy medication. There are many people suffering from allergies, and speaking with your family members or friends might help your study from their experience.

Allergic reactions occur in response to a variety of substances, including environmental agents, food, medication, venom and contact agents. Common inhaled allergens are pollen from trees, grasses and weeds which provoke seasonal allergy symptoms. Year- round inhaled allergens include dust mites, molds, feathers, and dander from animals such as cats, dogs and horses. Cockroaches are also thought to cause allergic reactions and are believed to pay a role in inner city asthma. Venoms from sting insects, including honey bees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets and fire ants can also provoke type-1 allergy symptoms.

Allergy symptoms commonly occur in three conditions: allergic rhinitis, asthma and atopic dermatitis. Rhinitis allergy symptoms include nasal congestion, sneezing and a watery nose, while allergic conjunctivitis presents with allergy symptoms of itchy, watery eyes.

Typical allergy symptoms can occur year around or seasonally. Chronic inflammation of the nasal and sinus passages due to allergies can also predispose to the development of sinus infections. Typical allergy symptoms of rhinitis can occur unrelated to allergies such as with exposure to irritants or as a side effect from chronic use of topical decongestants.

Asthma is a condition in which the airways become inflamed, leading to typical allergy symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness or a repetitive cough. Asthma is classified according to the frequency and severity of typical allergic symptoms and the degree of airway obstruction as measured by a lung function test. Typical allergic symptoms of asthma can be provoked by both allergic and non-allergic triggers.

I am coughing, I have a stuffy nose and I have a fever. I held a dog on Monday and I got those symptoms. I live in Ohio and I have seasonal allergies. I usually get these when it's turning from Summer to Fall, Spring to Summer, and Winter to Spring. Plz tell me. if I do, then what are some remedies.

its called allergic rhinitis , avoidance if you know what the trigger is the best . treatment is basically symptomatic, like anti histaimes = loratadin , decongestant = pseudoephedrin,

I help patients who suffer from allergies and asthma learn howmanage or alleviate their symptoms. when a patient comes in forallergy or asthma testing, I often administer a skin prick test,which involves placing a small amount of allergy-causing substanceson the forearm or back. The skin is lightly pricked so the allergengoes under the skin’s surface.

Within 15 to 20 minutes, signs of reaction to the allergens suchas swelling and redness start to appear. I can test eight allergensat the same time including mold, pollens, animal dander and dustmites. these allergens can cause allergic rhinitis (inflammation ofthe nasal passages) and asthma. I also test for food and drugallergies.

If a patient has experienced an allergic reaction to food from arestaurant, I’ll call the restaurant to get the recipe to determinewhat could have caused the reaction. by calling two restaurantswhere a person had experienced food reactions, I discovered thepatient was allergic to cumin used in pizza and chili.

Sometimes a patient will have a severe, life-threateningallergic reaction, which requires immediate treatment withepinephrine. People can be allergic to everything from eye make-up,belt buckles, earrings, latex and many other things.

I teach patients how to use inhalers, nasal sprays and neti potsfor sinus irrigation. I also explain how to administer medications.I help with coordination of care and work with insurance providersto try to get coverage for treatment.

I’ve been in the allergy clinic full time for six years. Priorto this, I was an outpatient float nurse and then worked part timein the allergy clinic. While living in Milwaukee, I was a visitingnurse and a post-operative nurse. I earned my bachelor’s degree innursing at Marquette University in Milwaukee and my master’s degreeat Edgewood College in Madison. I have a national certification asan asthma educator.

I often talk to patients over the phone and I can hear how theyare breathing on the phone to help guide them. Our goal is to helpour patients breathe easier.

What I Do features area residents who have interesting orunique jobs. The column runs every Tuesday. To suggest someone tofeature, contact Jill Carlson .

Mild forms of allergies like allergic rhinitis or hay fever are quite common. its symptoms include itchiness, allergic conjunctivitis and runny nose. Allergens like latex, after coming into contact with the skin, cause contact dermatitis or eczema and are quite common. Skin allergies result in rashes or inflammation within the skin. Allergens like dust or pollen are airborne particles. In such cases the symptoms arise in areas that are in contact with air, like the eyes, nose and lungs.Diagnosis Allergens can play a major role in aggravating asthmatic conditions. that is caused by narrowing of the airways (bronchoconstriction) and increased production of mucus in the lungs, shortness of breath (dyspnea), coughing and wheezing.Allergic reactions can also result from certain foods, insect stings and reactions to medicines like aspirin and antibiotics like penicillin. Food allergy symptoms include bloating, abdominal pain, vomiting, itchy skin, diarrhea and swelling of the skin during hives. Antibiotics, medicines and insect stings can produce a systemic allergic response also called anaphylaxis. In such cases multiple organ systems can be affected like the digestive system, the respiratory system and the circulatory system. Depending on the severity rate, it can cause bronchoconstriction, cutaneous reactions, hypotension, edema, coma and even death.the severity of the response requires injections of epinephrine. the nature of anaphylaxis is such that it may seem the reaction is subsiding, but it can recur after a period of time. Nowadays, there are many tests to diagnose different kinds of allergies. Among the tests are analyzing the blood to check the presence and levels of allergen-specific IgE and testing the skin for responses to known allergens. Treatments for allergies include avoiding the allergens, use of anti-histamines, immunotherapy to desensitize the response to allergen, steroids or other oral medications and targeted therapy.the risk factors for allergy is divided into two categories: host and environmental. Host factors include sex, heredity, race and age. however, certain recent cases of allergic disorders cannot be explained by heredity alone. Among the major environmental factors are alterations in exposure to infectious diseases during early childhood, environmental pollution, allergen levels and dietary changes.Items as unrelated as pollens, animals like cats, shellfish, insect venom, mould and peanuts can all lead to some kind of allergy.Diagnosis with so many substances causing allergy, it is obvious that allergic diseases have become the major reasons for various illness. Food allergies and insect stings have even lead to quite a high number of deaths. Adult individuals usually do not lose the allergies but children can often outgrow them.