Flowers in bloom used to bring a sneeze to Dana Wright’s nose rather than a smile to her lips.
Now, though, she’s able to enjoy spring for the first time in many years with the help of a regular regimen of allergy shots.
“I’m able to work out in my yard now without going to pieces, which used to be just impossible for me,” said Wright, a patient of allergy specialist Dr. Todd Holman in Longview.
Conditions are ripe for allergy troubles this spring. Abundant rain during the past year has been good for plants but bad for people with allergy problems, Holman said.
“More rain causes increased pollen,” Holman said. “This leads to beautiful blossoms and lush foliage, but it just knocks the socks off allergy sufferers.”
Spring always is a hard time for people with allergies, he said, but more so in years when the pollen count is high. The sticky yellow pollen that coats cars and other items left outdoors this time of year in East Texas is a mixture of oak and pine pollen.
Allergies are a genetic abnormality that cause certain cells to be overly sensitive to substances such as pollen, molds, pet dander, specific foods or other substances, Holman said. Food allergies are relatively easy to combat, as the sufferer can usually avoid those foods, but airborne allergies are more difficult to fight.
“While a person who is in overall good shape will be better able to deal with the symptoms of allergies, they’re not going to be able to prevent them without medical therapy,” Holman said.
The best medications for most people with seasonal allergies are prescription nasal sprays, modified steroid treatments and allergy shots, he said. About 15 to 20 percent of the population have allergies. While over-the-counter medications can do a good job of treating the symptoms, they can often cause drowsiness, Holman said.
Exposure to allergens in people who are sensitive to them causes the body to release histamines, which cause reactions such as runny noses, sneezing and itchy eyes, Holman said. Nose sprays and over-the-counter remedies work by blocking the histamines. Allergy shots work by slowly helping the patient to develop a tolerance to their allergens.
New allergy treatments are being tested, including sublingual immunotherapy in which the serum used in allergy shots is ingested by placing drops under the tongue rather than being injected. While it can be effective for certain allergies, Holman said most certified allergists do not use it on a regular basis because it requires close monitoring.
“For patients with serious allergy-related asthma, we’ve been using a new therapy called monoclonal antibodies, which works wonders,” he said. “However, it’s expensive, so I tend not to prescribe it for people with less severe seasonal allergies.”
Wright said she began treatment with Holman two years ago and was at first skeptical that shots would reduce the sneezing, itchy throat and runny nose she had accepted as her own signs of springs. She said it took time for the treatments to become fully effective, and this spring is this first she hasn’t experienced any symptoms.
She gets shots at Holman’s office every two weeks year round.
“It’s really worked wonders for me,” she said.
Alternative therapies
Acupuncture: A technique that involves inserting needles into key points of the body.
Chiropractic spinal manipulation: A technique that emphasizes manipulation of the spine in order to help the body heal itself.
Hypnosis: An artificially induced dream state that leaves the person open to suggestion, hypnosis is a technique that helps people manage various conditions.
Laser treatment: A technique that uses high intensity light to shrink swollen tissue or unblock sinuses.
Massage, relaxation techniques, art/music therapy, yoga: Various techniques can reduce anxiety or control your breathing.
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