POLLEN COUNT
Allergies can be a real challenge for people who suffer from them. If you suspect that you may be one of those people, you want to equip yourself with as much useful information as you can about allergies to keep them from affecting your quality of life.
Below, we’ve provided facts to bust a few of the most common myths about allergies to help you better understand the condition that plagues approximately 50 million people in the United States.
Myth #1 Winter Is Allergy-Free Season
Most allergy sufferers consider winter the best time of the year as they think that allergic reactions can’t occur during the cold months. But nothing could be further from the truth.
Even though pollen count is low during the winter season, there are other things in the environment that you could also be allergic to. Door mites and spores are some of the common culprits in winter allergies.
Additionally, the winter season can cause skin reactions in people allergic to cold temperatures. This is referred to as cold urticaria. In severe cases, cold urticaria can cause anaphylaxis, which is a life-threatening systemic allergic reaction.
Myth #2 You Should Only Take Antihistamines After You Have Allergy Symptoms
Many people who have seasonal allergies take antihistamines only after they experience the symptoms. While these medications still work effectively, the best thing to do is to take them before you come in contact with an allergen. For instance, taking antihistamines about two weeks before a certain allergy season begins can significantly prevent potential allergic reactions.
The mechanism of action of antihistamines is to suppress or block the body’s release of histamines, which are the culprit in your symptoms.
Myth #3 Allergies Have No Cure, So You Just Take Them as a Fact of Life
While it is true that allergies have no cure, that doesn’t mean you can’t thrive with them. Aside from antihistamines, there are a number of other treatments available, depending on the specific type of allergy you have.
If you have food allergy, your doctor may recommend oral immunotherapy, which involves exposing you to small but gradually increasing amounts of a certain food containing the allergen with the goal of desensitizing your body.
Your allergy doctor may administer the treatment every 2-4 weeks for 4-5 months. Over time, as your body gets used to the allergen, you’ll notice significant improvement in your symptoms until you no longer heavily rely on your medications.
Allergy Treatment in Downers Grove, Naperville, Elmhurst, and Plainfield, IL
At Oak Brook Allergists, our board-certified allergists offer a vast array of solutions, including allergy testing and oral immunotherapy, to bring one goal to fruition: to help the men, women, and children in the communities we serve take full control of and thrive with their allergies.
To know more about our services or to book an in-person consultation with one of our providers, call (630) 574-0460. You may also fill out this form to submit an appointment request.
