Joanna Creal
Staff Writer
Are your eyes red and irritated? Are you sneezing and sniffling uncontrollably? Are you having difficulty breathing? All of these symptoms are signs of allergic rhinitis, more commonly known as hay fever.
As many as 50 million people in the United States have allergies, and nearly 36 million of them have hay fever, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
That yellow powdery dust you see covering cars and all other objects outside is pollen and a clear indicator that spring is in the air, literally.
“My allergies are nothing to play with. I take medicine around the clock just so I can function,” said Terrance Williams, a senior criminal justice major from Dallas, Texas. “I hate going outside during pollen season.”
According to WebMD, hay fever is an immune disorder that is characterized by an allergic response to pollen grains and other substances. The two types of hay fever include seasonal allergic rhinitis, which only occurs during the time when certain plants pollinate and perennial rhinitis, which occurs all year long.
If you suffer from hay fever, it’s because your immune system views harmless inhaled pollen or other allergens as dangerous substances invading your body. Your system overreacts, flooding your bloodstream with chemicals like histamine and leukotrienes, which inflame the lining of your nasal passages, your sinuses and eyelids, and also set in motion other symptoms associated with hay fever, such as sneezing.
“Around this time I stock up on eye drops because as soon as the pollen comes my way, my eyes tend to turn red and itch. It’s a horrible feeling and makes me stay indoors a lot of the time,” said Kyla Crenshaw, a junior biology major from Little Rock, Ark.
Pollen.com, a website that charts the pollen levels from low to high around the country, shows that this week in Jackson, Miss., all levels are high from grass and tree pollens and allergy sufferers will have difficulty participating in outside activities.
Because there is no cure for hay fever, WebMD suggests that preventative measures be followed to diminish the symptoms. These measures include avoidance of the allergens, or simply put, stay indoors. Although pollen can be found inside, exposing yourself to less pollen will help to prevent negative reactions to allergens.
WebMD also recommends taking over the counter antihistamines like Claritin or Zyrtec every morning to diminish the allergic reactions to pollen. Saline and nasal rinses and decongestants can alleviate the stuffy nose symptoms associated with allergies and lozenges can help with sore throats from nasal drainage. If none of these works, you may need to consult your physician for prescription medication.
In extreme cases, immunotherapy may be necessary. Immunotherapy is a series of shots that can expose you to small quantities of allergens to stimulate your immune system. The purpose of the shots is to build up your antibodies. This increase in the number of antibodies will help your body not overreact when exposed again to these same allergens.
