With summer just around the corner and winter a fading memory, it's hard to believe that some people wish it were just the opposite. But for more than 25 percent of the population, warm weather doesn't just bring sunshine, it brings out sneezing and watery eyes, also known as allergies.
Each year more than 19 million members of the workforce suffer from allergies and decreased productivity while across the country children who suffer miss school on a regular basis due to the condition.
Pollen is the most common allergen, produced by plants, and the condition often referred to as hay fever. Those suffering from this allergy are likely to experience bouts of irritation in the nasal passages as the wind carries the pollen through the air.
According to Dr. Peter Ranta of the Great Lakes Allergy and Asthma Center, P.C. in Sault Ste. Marie, spring is the time of year when most allergy sufferers fall victim to tree pollen. As the warm season progresses, so does the number of allergens in the air.
Summer itself ignites grass pollen and almost up until the snow flies, weed pollen, "ragweed," can also be an issue, not to mention the number of year-round allergies, such as dust mites, molds, pets and other animals.
While most people develop allergies by the age of 11, it is possible to develop them later in life. The Great Lakes Allergy and Asthma Center reported their oldest allergy shot patient to be diagnosed was 83 years-old. While spring tends to ignite allergies, keep in mind symptoms can occur at any time of year depending on what the person is allergic to.
When should you seek medical attention for allergies? According to Ranta, an allergic person should consider an allergy evaluation if they have daily symptoms for two or more weeks, especially if the symptoms are not relieved by over-the-counter medications. OTC medications include antihistamines and decongestants.
Other ways to keep your exposure to pollen at a minimum include keeping windows and doors clean and closed.
Ranta said it was once thought that the Sault area was pollen-free.
"In the 1930's, a prominent club named the "AC-CHOO Club" was based in the Sault. The thinking was that the breezes from Lake Superior do not have pollen (it settles over the large expanses of water)," he added. "People would come from Chicago, Detroit and from around the Midwest."
Thought is the club ceased to exist in the late 1930s, early 1940s when Benadryl was invented.
