Allergic Rhinitis
Do you know?Allergic rhinitis is estimated to affect 60 million people in the U.S. and its prevalence is increasing.Allergic rhinitis affects between 10-30% of adults and as many as 40% of children. |
Allergic rhinitis, also called hay fever, is caused by an allergy to various plants, pollens and molds. When symptoms appear during an allergy season, it is referred to as seasonal allergic rhinitis. When symptoms are present year-round, it is called perennial allergic rhinitis. This may be caused by allergies to animal dander, indoor mold, dust mite or cockroaches.
Allergic rhinitis symptoms:
- Sneezing
- Itchy and watery eyes
- Congestion
- Runny and itchy nose
- Itchy mouth, throat and ears
These same symptoms can appear with the common cold. How do I tell if it’s a cold or allergies? The easiest way to tell if your symptoms are an allergy or a cold is by tracking how long symptoms last. Cold symptoms typically end within 10-14 days whereas an allergy may last for one or more months.
Another way is to monitor local pollen counts and the timing of various pollen seasons. Tree pollen counts are higher in the early spring followed by grass allergy, ragweed and mold in the late summer and early fall. Depending on where you live, other allergens may also cause issues, for example, mountain cedar pollen in the south. National pollen and mold levels are available through the National Allergy Bureau.
Sublingual immunotherapy can be helpful in treating allergic rhinitis. The La Crosse Method™ Protocol includes multi-allergen treatment for environmental allergies — including the pollens or indoor allergens causing your symptoms, along with a preseasonal single-allergen therapy that helps those who might have a strong seasonal allergy.
Over the course of sublingual immunotherapy treatment, your body builds tolerance to the things you are allergic to. Not only can it help you reduce the need for symptom relieving medications, studies have shown that sublingual immunotherapy can help prevent new allergies from developing and improve other allergy-related conditions such as asthma and eczema.