Ahhh summer. The cool dips in the backyard pool, barbecues on the patio, cool evening walks through the black-eyed Susans and Queen Anne's lace, and ahh, ahhh, ahchoo! Hay fever! If there is anything that could so quickly spoil an outdoor event in summer, it is hay fever.
Hay fever is one of those good old-fashioned afflictions that has been plaguing Valley residents since the days when William Allen fished the Lehigh. But is it really a result of industrious farmers stirring up dust as they take in their hay bales of alfalfa and timothy? According to the American College of Allergists (ACA), hay fever is a turn-of-the-century term which has come to describe the symptoms of allergic rhinitis, especially when it occurs in the late summer. However, the symptoms are not caused by hay (ragweed is one of the main culprits) and are not accompanied by fever. So physicians prefer the term "allergic rhinitis" because it is more accurate.
Ragweed is a prolific weed that colonizes open areas such as ignored gardens, new lawns and fields left fallow. It really becomes a serious problem when land is ignored.
According to the ACA, you may have seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever) if the pollen season brings the following symptoms: You sneeze a lot, often and in rapid succession; you have a thin, watery discharge from your nose; you're bothered by itching of the nose, eyes, throat or roof of the mouth; you're nagged by postnasal drip; your ears pop or are plugged; you have a decreased sense of smell, and/or you get sinus headaches.
What actually causes the sneezing and itchy eyes? When a sensitive person inhales an allergen, like ragweed pollen, the body's immune system reacts abnormally with the allergen. According to the ACA, "The allergen binds to allergic antibodies (immunoglobulin E) that are attached to cells that produce histamine and other chemicals. The pollen 'triggers' these cells in the nasal membranes, causing them to release histamine and other chemicals. Histamine dilates the small blood vessels of the nose and fluids leak out into the surrounding tissue, causing runny noses, watery eyes, itching, swelling and other allergy symptoms."
Now that you know what hay fever is and why you are sneezing so much, what can be done about it? According to the ACA, you have three choices: Avoidance, medication and immunotherapy.
A single ragweed plant can release more than 1 million pollen grains in a single day. Add to that the pollen from a myriad of grasses and tree species, which is small and buoyant enough to travel on the wind for miles, and you have a big problem. As if that were not enough, mold spores which grow outdoors in fields and on dead leaves are everywhere and may outnumber pollen grains in the air, even when the pollen season is at its worst.
How could anyone avoid such an invasion of the respiratory tract? In this heat, one welcome suggestion is to keep the windows closed and use the air conditioner. A high energy particulate air filter or an electrostatic precipitator will help clean the pollen and mold spores from the air. Even automobile air conditioners will help, though not as effectively as the bigger filters on home units. Also, don't hang your clothing outside; that way you can prevent pollen from clinging to the fabric.
But if you are a gardener, or just love the outdoors, remember that the air is most heavily saturated with pollen and mold spores between 5 and 10 a.m., so early morning activities should be limited. You also can wear a dust mask when mowing the lawn, raking leaves or gardening, and take an antihistimine/decongestant before going outside.
When avoidance measures don't control your symptoms, medication may be the answer. Antihistamines and decongestants are the most commonly used medications for allergic rhinitis, but newer medications like cromolyn inhibit the release of chemicals that cause allergic reactions. The best person to consult, of course, is your doctor or allergist. Allergin immunotherapy, known as "allergy shots," may be recommended for persons who don't respond well to treatment with medications, experience side-effects from medications or have allergen exposure which is unavoidable.
There are many ways of getting back outside, in spite of the presence of "hay fever" at this time of year. For more information, contact the American College of Allergists, 800 E. Northwest Highway, Suite 1080, Palatine, Ill. 60067, or phone 312-359-2800.