2008 Woodie Awards
Spring Allergies
Brittany Pickett
Issue date: 3/6/06 Section: Medical Beat
- Page 1 of 1
It is a warm, sunny, dry and breezy day and you are sneezing, coughing and have watery eyes. If you are experiencing these symptoms, you have what is known as hay fever or, better known to some, seasonal allergic rhinitis.
According to The University of Maryland School of Medicine, nearly 26 million people in the U.S. are affected by allergies. Two out of every 10 Americans suffer from allergies.
Most allergies are passed on to children by their parents. If one parent has allergies, there is a 50 percent chance of their kids having allergies. The risk jumps to 75 percent if both parents have allergies, according to WebMD.com.
Allergies are caused from an oversensitive immune system that leads to a misdirected immune response.
Symptoms of allergies can include coughing, itchy watery eyes, runny nose, sore throat and headaches, to name a few.
Certain types of trees, grass and ragweed are responsible for hay fever.
Brookhaven College nurse Mildred Kelley said: "Allergy season is notoriously in the spring, when things are just beginning to bloom. The grass and the trees are all budding out.... a lot of times we have people who have allergies in the fall, before the first freeze."
The worst times for allergies typically occurs when the pollen count is high. This happens when the weather has been warm and dry with breezy mornings. The count is generally lower on cooler, rainy days.
To prevent hay fever symptoms, stay indoors when pollen counts are high, close windows and use air conditioning.
According to The University of Maryland School of Medicine, nearly 26 million people in the U.S. are affected by allergies. Two out of every 10 Americans suffer from allergies.
Most allergies are passed on to children by their parents. If one parent has allergies, there is a 50 percent chance of their kids having allergies. The risk jumps to 75 percent if both parents have allergies, according to WebMD.com.
Allergies are caused from an oversensitive immune system that leads to a misdirected immune response.
Symptoms of allergies can include coughing, itchy watery eyes, runny nose, sore throat and headaches, to name a few.
Certain types of trees, grass and ragweed are responsible for hay fever.
Brookhaven College nurse Mildred Kelley said: "Allergy season is notoriously in the spring, when things are just beginning to bloom. The grass and the trees are all budding out.... a lot of times we have people who have allergies in the fall, before the first freeze."
The worst times for allergies typically occurs when the pollen count is high. This happens when the weather has been warm and dry with breezy mornings. The count is generally lower on cooler, rainy days.
To prevent hay fever symptoms, stay indoors when pollen counts are high, close windows and use air conditioning.
