Let’s Talk About “Seasonal” Allergies!
Gaps in Allergy Care are Especially Concerning for Those with Allergic Asthma!
With already warming temperatures in parts of the country, the onset of pollen is upon us. Symptoms of “seasonal” allergic rhinitis occur in spring, summer and/or early fall. They are usually caused by allergic sensitivity to pollens from trees, grasses or weeds, or to airborne mold spores. “Seasonal” allergies affect 1 in 4 adults and close to 1 in 5 children. For many, allergies are a nuisance, a bother, and a regimen of antihistamines or decongestants is sufficient to alleviate symptoms.
However, for those with allergic asthma, there exist gaps in the management and control of their asthma. These gaps include; 1) not getting an allergy test, 2) not avoiding their predominant pollen allergen, and, 3) not exploring immunotherapy which has the potential to limit or eliminate their allergen sensitivity. For many who have been prescribed inhaler medication, 4) they do not take their controller medication every day, and many, whether taking controller or relief inhaler medication, 5) are not correctly using the inhaler and, thus, are not getting effective treatment.
For now, let’s focus on 1 and 2. If you have allergic asthma and it’s seasonal, then you probably have a pollen or mold allergy. Sadly, 60% of those with allergies have never been tested, so they do not know their predominant pollen allergen. Allergy tests on the market not only identify your pollen allergen but provide you a glimpse into your individual sensitivity to that allergen. The next step in avoiding your predominant pollen allergen is knowing when the outdoor conditions and the pollen count pose a risk to you. Unfortunately, many weather reports that include pollen count, do not provide a species-level predominant pollen type. You’ve seen the reports that provide a count for trees, grasses, or weeds, but there are different species of trees; maple, cedar, juniper, etc.
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