HEALTHY HABITS
It’s Allergy Season
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ctually, it is always allergy season in Texas. This month we are coming off the peak in Cedar Fever and growing into grass, ash, and oak. Thanks to our warm climate, things never really die in Central Texas so we can’t really claim a single allergy season; it’s more about which allergen is high or low at a given time. As well, there is never a time we’re not exposed to things like animal dander, dust mites, mold, and even cockroaches. Dr. Candice Weiner offers some basics about allergies and when it’s time to see the doctor.
THE BASICS Typically, when our bodies first contact something perceived as harmful, we feel fine. Meanwhile, inside, we are making Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies specific to fighting that substance if we are exposed again. “At the second exposure,” Dr. Weiner says, “the allergen finds those new antibodies and sets off a cascade of reactions. The antibodies seek out mast cells [mastocytes], which ‘explode’ with a lot of histamines. Those histamines do a great job of fighting off the foreign agents, but they also do a good job of making you feel horrible. This is when you start sneezing and itching. Your nasal passages may fill with fluid and you get watery eyes, a rash, and more. So, histamines are great about fighting off those invaders, but your body is being overzealous because these allergens won’t really harm you.”
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by Ann Marie Kennon
SOME FACTS
IS IT A COLD OR THE FLU?
Children typically do not present allergies before they are about two years old, and they seem to peak between 8-9 years old and young adulthood. They often happen after a change in geography; when the body is exposed to many new elements at once; e.g., moving to Texas from a northern climate where pollen is covered with snow half the year.
Dr. Weiner says there is overlap, but, “allergies may give you a scratchy throat, but without the pain and swollen feeling. Cold and flu usually don’t last as long, so if you are the type to ‘tough it out’ but feel unwell for more than 10 days, it is likely not a virus.”
Dr. Weiner says it is not known what causes allergies to come and go throughout our lives, “but we may be able to look forward to fewer reactions as we get older and immune responses become weaker in general.” She adds that allergies also appear to be on the rise. “Where there are no conclusive data, some think modern life means more airborne pollutants, many that are microscopic and can more easily find their way to our mucous membranes. Some even postulate our improved hygiene and reduced exposure to dirt has helped cut down on disease, but prevented our exposure to so-called ‘good’ bacteria and other elements that used to train our immune systems.” If you are a fan of Freakonomics-style facts, it might help to know that there is an ongoing debate about whether cities and municipalities should continue planting mostly male trees because, while they create less debris on the ground, they are responsible for greater pollen production.
F E B R UA R Y 2024 M Y JA R R ELL M O NT HLY
She also recommends being more cautious with children; i.e., not letting them be sick for several days without trying to determine the cause. Certain facial features can indicate an allergy spell. “An ‘allergic shiner’ is a swelling close to the eye, under the nose, usually with skin discoloration. Dennie-Morgan folds appear under the eyes (photo); and possibly a horizontal crease at the top of the nose, caused by swiping an itchy nose up from fingertips to the base of the palm.” Another distinction, she says, is that allergies come on quite quickly, whereas a cold or flu may have you feeling gradually worse over several days.
WHAT TO DO A common solution is to have allergy shots, which introduce allergens to the body in very small doses. Shots are given, with decreasing frequency, until
