With just one day to go before the summer solstice, many people suffer from seasonal allergies, also called "hay fever" and "allergic rhinitis", which can make you feel very unwell. Carlos Andres Salgado, an expert in allergy and clinical immunology at Stanford, explains more about the condition that plagues 1 in 4 adults and nearly 1 in 5 children in the United States.
According to the fellow clinical assistant professor of pediatrics, seasonal allergies are on the rise in part due to rising temperatures and storms.
“This year, given the record rainfall in California that has led to super blooms, I have also seen an increase in symptoms. In my allergy clinic, I see more and more children experiencing increased symptoms this year compared to previous years," he said.
With COVID-19 already a part of our lives, it could be difficult to differentiate symptoms between those of allergies and those of a viral infection, so the expert suggests observing if the individual has a history of similar symptoms at this time of year; if you have gastrointestinal diseases such as diarrhea, vomiting, nausea or constipation, among others, since seasonal allergies do not usually present them.
In addition, it is necessary to check if there is a fever, since high temperature is very characteristic of viral infections.
"When in doubt, I encourage my patients to follow the precautions that would be used if they suspect a viral infection, such as testing and masking," he noted.
What do I do with this seasonal allergy?
Dr. Salgado pointed out that there are currently several preventive therapeutic options to treat seasonal allergies. These include medications for symptomatic relief, such as over-the-counter antihistamines, nasal steroids, nasal antihistamines, and eye drops.
In addition, there are subcutaneous immunotherapy allergy injections ?SCIT, for its acronym in English? and sublingual immunotherapy ?SLIT?, which are more successful in the long term.
SCIT involves routine injections, while SLIT involves tablets or drops administered sublingually.
During elevated pollen counts, for triggers specific to an individual, he also recommended limiting outdoor activities, keeping windows and doors closed in the home, wearing N95 masks if outdoors, and, for some patients, using saline rinses. and shower as soon as they get home.
In a study by a group at Stanford, researchers found that temperature and drought were associated with increases in the average annual number of weeks with exposure to pollen and mold, resulting in eight to nine more weeks per year between 2002 and 2019.
However, the changes in response to climate change vary markedly for different plant species and locations.
"Not all plants have had an increase in pollen counts in response to climate change, so the impact of climate change may differ between people due to differences in trigger allergens," the specialist said.
Another study based on model projections, he said, reported that ragweed awareness will more than double in Europe, from 33 million to 77 million people by 2041-2060, as a result of climate change.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ?CDC, for its acronym in English?, non-Hispanic white adults are more likely to have a seasonal allergy ?28.4 percent? compared to non-Hispanic black adults ?24 percent?; Hispanic adults ?18.8 percent?, and non-Hispanic Asians ?17.0 percent.?
In addition, they specified that children ?20 percent? are more likely than girls to have a seasonal allergy ?17.7 percent?.
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