CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It's that time of year when the weather warms up, the trees start blooming, the flowers are fragrant and well, if you’re one of the millions of Americans with seasonal allergies, you're miserable.
They say knowledge is power so WCNC NBC Charlotte went to an expert on the issue.
Charlotte Doctor of Internal Medicine Dr. Michael Harrington is separating fact from fiction and dropping some serious seasonal allergy knowledge.
1) Allergy medication is most effective when taken before pollen season starts.
FACT: Most medication works by stopping or limiting your body from releasing histamines and other chemicals that cause allergy symptoms.
Symptoms like runny nose or itchy eyes happen because your body reacts to a specific allergen like pollen as if it’s attacking the immune system which then causes the release of histamine.
It’s much easier to block the release of histamine before it starts than to try and stop the release after it’s already been triggered.
2) It’s possible to outgrow seasonal allergies.
FACT & FICTION depending on the age group.
Adult sufferers who struggle with ragweed in their 30s will likely struggle with ragweed for the rest of their life.
However, it’s very possible for kids with seasonal allergies to simply outgrow them.
The exact reason isn’t known but some speculate the body builds up a tolerance to the allergen over time making it less of a trigger.
3) With the right treatment, you can be cured of seasonal allergy symptoms.
FICTION.
With the right treatment tailored for your specific allergy issues you can experience great relief from symptoms but there isn’t a cure for seasonal allergy sufferers unfortunately.
Figuring out what works best for you will likely require a period of trial and error.
There are a lot of different over the counter medication options – some may work better than others depending on the person.
Medications can provide temporary relief from allergy symptoms while in office treatments like immunotherapy require long term commitment but also promise long term relief.