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Hay fever is a chronic condition characterized by sneezing, nasal
congestion, runny and itching nose, palate, ears and eyes. If you
recognize any of these symptoms chances are, you or some member of your
family has experienced hay fever at one time or another.
Doctors call it allergic rhinitis. Most people know it as hay fever and
if you've got it - - as 22 million Americans do - - you're likely to be
plagued during the spring and fall seasons by such annoying symptoms as
sneezing, congestion, runny nose, itchy throat and red, watery eyes.
Allergy has different names. Allergy reactions occurring in the nose and
sinus are called "sinus" or "hay fever" or "allergic rhinitis." And when
allergy reactions occur in the chest we call it "asthma." Allergy
reactions in the skin are named "hives" or "angioedema." So you see,
allergy has different names depending upon where in your body it occurs.
One out of every six Americans suffers from an allergic condition.
Allergy is an inherited trait, a genetic susceptibility towards the
production of certain allergy anti-bodies. Hay fever is basically an
allergic reaction to pollens from trees, weed and grasses. Unlike garden
flower pollen, which is carried by insects, the dry lightweight pollens
which cause allergic rhinitis are generally spread by wind currents
which make them difficult to avoid. In fact, samples of ragweed pollen
have been found 400 miles at sea! While most people suffer mild
discomfort with hay fever, it is estimated that more than 40 percent of
the 5.8 million children who have respiratory allergies miss some
school, stay in bed or feel upset by the condition.
Additionally, complications from allergic rhinitis can be serious. The
same allergens that cause hay fever can reach the lungs causing asthma
and other complications. Sinusitis (inflammation of the sinus cavities)
and nasal polyps (small outgrowths of the mucous membrane of the nose)
may develop. Secondary infections of the ear, larynx and bronchial tubes
may occur. Also, prolonged year-round nasal stuffiness and mouth
breathing may lead to facial bone growth changes in children.
Surprisingly, many parents realize that their children have asthma
before their physicians do. An accurate diagnosis, however, is most
important in helping to determine an appropriate individualized
treatment program. Physicians specializing in allergy/immunology have
special skills in the area of asthma management. The allergy and asthma
specialist will detect and determine those environmental elements
(pollens, molds, dust mites, animal danders, workplace chemicals) which
may be the cause of a patient's asthmatic condition. A careful medical
history, physical examination, selective allergy skill testing and lung
function studies are typically performed. Occasionally, blood tests,
home and workplace evaluations, and x-rays of the sinuses and lungs are
required.
Unlike hay fever, asthma is a more complex disease involving a
reversible constriction of the muscles lining the human airways,. It is
more often associated with allergy immune cells and can get
progressively worse reaching life-threatening stages if not properly
controlled. It can be treated more effectively when it is diagnosed
early.
The best therapy of all, however, is avoidance of those things which
produce asthma symptoms. This includes allergens, such as house dust
mites, pets and irritants, such as tobacco smoke and chemical fumes.
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