Seasonal Allergies Health Video

Video Transcript

Dr. SUSAN MCGLADERRY: Hello, my name is Dr. Sue McGladdery. I'm the medical director from First Med Centers in Budapest, Hungary. I'd like to give you some general information about seasonal allergy. This is a very common condition affecting up to 20% of people. Seasonal allergy is an allergic reaction to a trigger that is typically only present for a part of the year. This type of allergy is usually to pollen from trees, weeds, and grasses or to spores from fungi. The tree pollen allergies are most common in the spring time. Grass pollen allergies are more common in the late spring and summer and weed pollen allergy is more common in the fall. Allergies to spores from fungi and molds are usually worse during warm weather months. The allergy signs and symptoms start whenever you are exposed to those substances and they will continue until the trigger the is removed. So, what are the typical signs and symptoms if you have a seasonal allergy? They can start rather gradually, but usually there will be runny nose, congestion, sneezing, a feeling of sinus pressure, and maybe itchy eyes and even wheezing. The risk factors for developing a seasonal allergy include things like a family history of allergies, being male, birth occurring during a pollen season being the first born child. Also exposure to cigarette smoke during the first year of life and exposure to dust mites can increase the risk of developing seasonal allergy. When do you need to seek medical advice? Many people manage the mild symptoms of seasonal allergy just using simple over-the-counter medications. If this doesn't work for you, you need to see your doctor to prepare and design a treatment program that will control your symptoms. Some people need to be referred to an allergy specialist for a more accurate and complete diagnosis. There are various options for treatment including antihistamine tablets, steroid sprays for the nose, antihistamine drops for the eyes, and inhaler medications if you have symptoms of asthma. Without proper treatment, these hay fever type symptoms can really impair your quality of life causing sleeplessness, fatigue, irritability, and they may adversely affect your performance at work or school. If your symptoms are more severe and you can't control them with the normal medications, you should talk to your doctor about it. In some cases, it maybe a good idea to make some special allergy tests, and even to undergo a course of desensitization treatment with an allergy specialist.