Wave goodbye to the sniffles and itchy eyes that allergy season brings! Host Holly Thacker, MD shares strategies for tackling the sneeze-inducing, eye-watering marathon that is spring 2024's allergy season.
Wave goodbye to the sniffles and itchy eyes that allergy season brings! Host Holly Thacker, MD shares strategies for tackling the sneeze-inducing, eye-watering marathon that is spring 2024's allergy season.
Welcome to the Speaking of Women's Health podcast. I'm your host, Dr Holly Thacker, and I am back in the hot chew sunflower house and this is a new and kind of a prior podcast.
Speaker 2:This is the first time we're doing this, but it's the spring of 2024, and this is a really bad allergy season and generally spring and fall are common times for people who have tree or grass or weed. Also, mold and usually winter and sometimes late summer gives people some relief and since last year in the first season we did an excellent podcast on allergies and symptoms and physical and medical and lifestyle maneuvers that you can do. We really wanted to run some of those highlights and answer a few questions as to why is this season this spring of 2024, so bad, and there's some different thoughts, but certainly that this was a pretty warm year and a lot of times when it's a warmer winter than usual in fact I was just commenting to some coworkers, I think we only had two snow days in Cleveland on the North coast, which is almost unheard of, and we've had a really warm spring and flowers that I don't have bloom until mid-April were coming in mid-March. So when there's warmer temperatures, when there's changes in air pressure, all of that affects the pollen count from the upper to the lower atmosphere, count from the upper to the lower atmosphere. So with that introduction, we are going to head to listening to last year's podcast and I want to take this opportunity to encourage anyone to go on speakingwomenshealthcom under the contact us and send us an email If you like. This format us taking prior podcasts that you might've missed. Maybe you just joined us this season and haven't had time to go back through our a hundred plus prior podcast. Um, if there's other topics you'd like us to cover, if you don't already subscribe to our free newsletter, go on speakingonwomenshealthcom. And if you like to get health information from social media, whether it's X or Facebook or Pinterest or LinkedIn or Telegram, or whether you like to watch videos on YouTube, we also have a Rumble channel, and all of it is called Speaking of Women's Health. So thanks so much for joining us, even if you listened to last year's.
Speaker 2:If you are an allergy sufferer, this one is for you. On this episode in the spring of 2023, we're talking about how to reduce your seasonal allergic symptoms. Allergic disorders affect at least one in five adults and children, which is 40 to 50 million people in the United States, and if you're one of those millions of people, like I am, who suffers from seasonal allergies millions of people like I am who suffers from seasonal allergies you know that this time of year can cause itching and sneezing and tearing and a runny or congested nose and just sometimes downright misery at times. So when your body comes into contact with an allergen, so when your body comes into contact with an allergen, your immune system kicks into high gear and if you're allergic to pollens or another substance that you breathe in, the membranes in your nose and sinuses may become very irritated, swollen, inflamed, leading to these symptoms. And if you're allergic to something that comes into contact with your skin, you could even break out in hives or a rash. Taking the right medication for your symptoms is important, and certainly allergy medicines can help treat those allergy symptoms once you have them. But did you know that you can take steps to prevent and reduce these symptoms before they even occur? So one of the classic signs that we're taught is called the allergic salute. It's when people rub their itchy nose upward. So I thought in this podcast we should discuss several recommendations that can help you and your family avoid allergy attacks and help with what to do if you already have these symptoms. You can also check out the National Allergy Bureau app and it gives you the pollen and spore count for your specific region.
Speaker 2:So let's start with some tips to reduce allergies in your home. Number one close the windows. I know sometimes this can be hard in the spring. You just like that fresh outdoor air. But if you can, keep your windows closed and use air conditioning especially if you're allergic to pollen and it's probably best not to use fans because they can stir up dust. Number two filter the air, cover air conditioning vents with cheesecloth to filter out both pollen and use a high efficiency particulate air filter, hepa, if you have a forced air furnace, and please clean out your air filters frequently, and you really need to clean out your air ducts at least once a year. In fact, I had mine cleaned out last year and I couldn't believe how improved my little kitty cat the crust in her eyes totally went away in the morning once we did that. Number three keep your humidity in your house below 50% because you want to prevent mold growth. To prevent mold growth and avoid areas where mold may collect, including damp basements, garages and crawl spaces, barns and compost heaps and keep these areas clean.
Speaker 2:Number four install humidifiers and dehumidifiers. You really want the dehumidifier in the basement and any other area of your home where mold may collect and you need to clean these devices every week. Air out any damp clothes and shoes in the house before you store them. And if you have pets, like I do even though I'm allergic to cats, I just love my little kitty consider keeping them outside or perhaps ask someone else to groom them, because animal dander and the proteins in the saliva where the animal licks themselves are very common allergens for so many people. Animal licks themselves are very common allergens for so many people. Otherwise, you really should not allow pets into the bedroom and be sure to have someone bathe the pet often and it's best not to let your pets sit on furniture and close the air ducts in your bedroom and close the air ducts in your bedroom.
Speaker 2:Number six remove laundry from the washing machine promptly and don't leave wet clothes in the washer. Number seven wash out your shower curtains and bathroom and tiles with mold-killing solutions. Number eight minimize indoor plants. Don't collect too many indoor plants because the soil in the plants can encourage mold growth. Number nine store your firewood outside.
Speaker 2:Number 10, use plastic covers for pillows, mattresses and box springs and avoid overstuffed furniture and down-filled bedding or pillows. And it's important to remove stuffed animals from the bed. Number 11, wash your bedding. I think you should wash your bedding every week in hot water and that's hotter than 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Number 12, don't allow any smoking in your house. Number 13, protect hands and face and you can wear special masks and gloves when cleaning, vacuuming or painting to try to limit the dust and chemical exposures.
Speaker 2:Number fourteen vacuum twice a week. I've got to up that I think I'm just doing it once a week. Number fifteen limit your throw rugs to reduce dust and mold and if you do have throw rugs, please make sure that they're washable. Number 16. When possible, choose hardwood floors instead of carpeting and if you must have carpeting, choose the low pile material. Number 17. Avoid Venetian blinds or long, heavy drapes, as they can collect dust. You can replace old drapes and use window shades instead. Number 18, use an exhaust fan. Make sure there's a good exhaust fan over your stove to remove cooking fumes when you go outdoors.
Speaker 2:There are tips to help reduce allergies while you're outdoors. Number one minimize walks in wooded areas or gardens. Number two you just sometimes have to stay indoors when the pollen count is high. So check the forecast and stay indoors as much as possible on really hot, dry, windy days when pollen counts generally are the highest. Number three avoid extreme temperature changes because in some people this can trigger asthma. Number four if possible, stay indoors between 5 am and 10 am, and that's hard for me because that's early in the morning when I like to exercise. Outdoor pollen counts are usually the highest during these times.
Speaker 2:Number five you can consider wearing an expensive painter's mask when mowing the lawn, because that can help if you're allergic to grass, pollen or molds, but it's best to try to avoid mowing and being around fresh grass if you have these allergies. Number six wear one of those painter masks when gardening, wearing a mask when gardening, because flowers and weeds can release pollen and can cause allergic symptoms. Number seven do not walk through uncut weeds, work with compost or dry soil or rake leaves. So if you're very allergic, doing that kind of yard work and composting work isn't really best. Number eight avoid raking the leaves. I don't like to rake the leaves anyway and I certainly need to wear hand gloves to protect my hands from blisters. So if you can avoid raking leaves or working with hay or mulch, especially if you're allergic to mold. And it's an excellent idea to shower at the end of the day After being outdoors, take a shower, wash your hair and change all your clothes to remove the pollen that might have collected in your clothes and hair.
Speaker 2:Number 10. Protect yourself from insect stings, and we'll have more podcasts about summer hazards and insect stings. Wear shoes and long pants and long sleeves, and absolutely don't wear scented deodorants, perfumes, scented hair products in order to protect yourself from insect stings. Number 11 dry your clothes in the dryer as opposed to hanging them or hanging your linens out to dry, because pollen and molds can collect when you hang your clothes outside and that could make your allergies worse.
Speaker 2:If you're traveling and staying in a hotel, there are some other tips that you can do to reduce your allergies. In the hotel room, you should request a non-smoking room and a room that they don't allow pets in. You also don't want feather pillows, or at least remove the fellow pillows and ask for a synthetic, non-allergic pillow, or bring your own pillow and plastic pillow cover from home, which is what I do. Number three close air conditioning vents if possible. Keep the vent on the room, air conditioning shut.
Speaker 2:Nasal cleaning and nasal irrigation this is really a big one. Before turning to medications, make sure that you try nasal cleaning or nasal irrigation, just like you have to wash your hands, rinsing out your nose with saline or salt water is very helpful. There are devices like a neti pot that can help rinse away the allergens in your nostrils, and during cold and flu season I frequently will also use Exleer, which is xylitol, which has antiviral properties and has been shown to reduce various respiratory tract infections, including COVID. Antihistamines there are several over-the-counter non-sedating antihistamines that can help manage sneezing and itchy eyes, but they're not quite as effective, always in intense nasal congestion. Some of these medicines are over-the-counter, like loratadine, also known as claritin and oh, I need my claritin reputabs Zyrtec is sertrazine and Fexofenadine is Allegra and, as I mentioned, these are over-the-counter but it's really best to check with your physician or pediatrician if you or your children have any chronic medical problems before you self-treat Nasal congestion, nasal congestion, intranasal steroids like triamcinolone, nasacort or fluticasone felonase, which I use.
Speaker 2:They are now available without a prescription. They previously required a prescription and they're very effective, especially for the nasal allergic symptoms, especially if you start it before the onset of allergic exposure symptoms, especially if you start it before the onset of allergic exposure. But it is a steroid and it's potent and I was using my nasal fluticasone regularly and when I went for a screening upper endoscopy. I actually had yeast in the esophagus because of it. So medicines are medications and it's really best to try all the physical maneuvers including, like I said, cleaning out those air ducts, staying indoors, having an excellent air filtration system. Now there are anti-allergy eyedrop medications and there certainly are allergy injections that you can get for desensitization, which basically work by exposing you to the antigen to stimulate IG4 blocking antibodies to prevent your body from overreacting to something that it's deemed as foreign. But since these allergens they're foreign but they're not damaging to your body, you don't need your body in overdrive.
Speaker 2:So how do you diagnose allergies? Well, if you have symptoms that last longer than a week or two, and especially if they tend to recur and if they interfere with your desired activities like exercising outdoors or going to work or school or getting a good night's sleep, then you really may benefit from an evaluation and management by an allergy and immunology specialist physician. Allergy skin testing can be used to identify the allergens that are causing your symptoms. The test is performed by pricking your skin with an extract of the allergen and then evaluating the skin's reaction. If a skin test cannot be performed, there are radioallergosorbent blood tests that may be taken, and that's a so-called RAST test, which does evaluate allergy antibodies in the bloodstream produced by your immune system. Elevated levels of these antibodies can diagnose particular allergies, but this test is less sensitive than skin testing and in general, for this reason it's not preferred.
Speaker 2:So you might ask can allergies be cured? Many with allergies tend to suffer in silence, and if you do, you should understand that you don't need to just grin and bear it and sneeze it. While there's no absolute cure for allergies, with proper management this condition can be effectively controlled in most people. Certainly, making changes in your environment can greatly limit your exposure to certain allergens and reduce your symptoms, and there are many medications that are effective and safe when taken as prescribed, and certainly allergy immunotherapy desensitization is also an option for reducing symptoms and medication reliance on a long-term basis. So I hope that this has been helpful to you and your family, and thanks so much for joining me in this sunflower house.
Speaker 2:I'm Dr Holly Thacker, your host, and I'd like to thank our executive producer, leigh Kleckar, and she has two sons who have allergies this season. And please subscribe to our podcast Speaking of Women's Health wherever you catch your podcast and give us a five-star rating. Catch your podcast and give us a five-star rating, because that helps us move up in the rankings. And please visit speakingofwomenshealthcom. We have so much information on these topics and more. We have free treatment, guidebooks, breaking health news, fun recipes, all the different social media channels, as well as podcasts in other areas of your health, and if you would like to donate to our nonprofit, you can go on speakingofwomenshealthcom and hit the donate button, because we're here to help you be strong, be healthy and be in charge.