For most people, spring is a beautiful season with leaves budding on the trees, lawns  turning green and flowers ready to bloom.  But for others – approximately 35 million – these very things that make the season so spectacular, cause them to sneeze, cough, have eye irritation and a runny nose.  They suffer from seasonal allergic rhinitis.

Seasonal allergies affect men and women, adults and children.  Caused by pollen or mold spores released into the air, there is no cure for allergies.  Whether pollens or spores, when these airborne allergens get into the nose and eyes, they can cause an allergy.

Not everyone, however, is affected by these conditions.  Individuals who are ‘allergic’ have an immune system that reacts to a normally harmless substance.  Specialized cells in the immune system, B cells, manufacture antibodies that attach to different foreign invaders.  One such group, IgE antibodies, cause the symptoms of allergies by attaching to the surfaces of two types of immune system cells, mast cells and basophils.  These immune cells then release chemicals, including histamine and other compounds that cause local inflammation, leading to the symptoms recognized with most allergies.

The American Academy of Family Physicians offers the following suggestions for minimizing allergy symptoms:

- Reduce exposure to pollen by showering, washing your hair, and changing your clothes before going to bed.

- Keep doors and windows shut – especially on dry, windy days – and run the air conditioning in your home and car when possible.

- Clean areas prone to mold in your home – such as shower curtains and bathroom windows – with bleach.  Avoid having plants in the house.

- Keep pet dander at a minimum by bathing ;your pet frequently, and using an air filter and allergen-resistant bedding.

- Reduce dust by frequently washing bedding, drapes and stuffed animals.  Install wood floors instead of carpeting.

The Mayo Clinic advises that because there are so many medications available (over-the- counter and by prescription), it is important for allergy sufferers to know their options. These medications are available in pill form, liquid, eye drops, nasal sprays and topical skin creams.  An individual may need only one to remedy their symptoms or a combination of medications. Sometimes it requires trial and error in order to determine which meds are most effective.  Some of the options available are:

- Corticosteroids help prevent and treat the inflammation associated with allergic conditions.

- Antihistamines block histamine, an inflammatory chemical released by your immune system during an allergic reaction.

- Decongestants relieve nasal and sinus congestion.

- Leukotriene modifiers block the effect of leukotrienes, inflammatory chemicals released by your immune system during an allergic reaction.

- Cromolyn sodium prevents the release of histamine, an inflammatory chemical released by your immune system during an allergic reaction.

Before trying any medication, it is important to check with your doctor to be sure there is no adverse drug interaction (if taking other medication) or suffer from chronic health problems.

By tracking symptoms when using medication, patient and doctor can determine the best course to follow to alleviate most, if not all, of the symptoms of seasonal allergies.