Welcome to Doctor’s Corner, a new segment where we will address a relevant medical topic that readers may be interested in. To start things off, I thought that we might discuss something that is on everyone’s mind (and their cars) right now…pollen. Or rather what comes with the pollen, namely seasonal allergies. About 14% of people nationwide are affected by this issue. We all know what symptoms are involved with allergies, such as runny nose, sneezing, itchy/watery eyes, and ear pain. Why does this happen? Without getting too technical, the pollen causes a hypersensitivity reaction that causes the body to release histamine and various other agents that cause the symptoms of seasonal allergies. So what do we do about it? It’s important to note that this is not an infection, so antibiotics will not do anything. There are a variety of over-the-counter options available for management. Multiple organizations focused on allergy treatment came together in 2017 and offered recommendations on what works best. For patients 12 and older, intranasal corticosteroids such as Flonase or Nasonex should be 1st-line for management of allergies. Adding an intranasal antihistamine can also be beneficial. Oral antihistamines like Claritin and Zyrtec are also widely used. For 15 and older, other options include medicines like Singulair, which while not as effective may be better tolerated than the nasal sprays. Hopefully this information will be helpful now that everything is covered in a nice shade of yellow.
Thomas C. Smith, M.D.
Washington County Family Practice
https://www.wcrmc.com/about/clinics
