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 | THE SNEEZIN' SEASON How to survive allergies and asthma May 2, 1997 |
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Questions asked
in this forum:
How can I control and treat my asthma? Is there a relation between the menstral cycle and asthma and allergy symptoms? Can adults develop asthma late in life? What are the hereditary aspects of asthma and allergies? Is it true that the longer you breast feed, the less allergies your children will have? What new drugs are available to treat asthma and allergies? What kinds of allergy testing alternatives are there? Additional comments....
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OUTSIDE LINKS
The National Allergy Bureau gives up-to-date allergy conditions.
Check out the Nationwide Asthma Screening Program.
The Quality of Life test can tell you whether allergies and asthma are limiting your life.
Allergy and Asthma Online.
April showers bring more than May flowers. For many Americans, the growing season heralds in sneezing, coughing, stuffy noses and itchy eyes. The symptoms stem from airborne tree and grass pollen which can make breathing uncomfortable and put a damper on outdoor activities.
Allergy season begins in the Southeast as birch, cedar, elm and alder begin to bloom in late February and March. Oak and pine enter the arboreal symphony a little later, filling the already dusty air with massive amounts of pollination. Finally, the grasses finish off the seasonal pollination pattern which flows north as temperatures and levels of allergens rise in May, June and July.
The reaction between pollen and body is complex and differs from person to person. Pollen contacts the lining of the nose, setting off an immune response in the body; the sneezing, runny nose and watery eyes that are the body's natural way of expelling foreign particles.
Approximately 30 percent of Americans have inherited their parents' allergies. Pharmacological companies have made millions treating allergic reactions with medications such as antihistamines to allieviate the runny noses, sneezing and itching symptoms, and decongestants to decrease the body's immune response to the foreign substances in the nose.
There are also several simple actions can lessen allergy symptoms. Our guest recommends keeping doors and windows closed to help keep pollen out, vacuuming often, including furniture and drapes, and making sure people take off their shoes when they enter the house.
As we enter May, one of the worse allergy times, and the official "Allergy and Asthma Awareness Month," our forum asks: Do we know enough? Should the search for a cure to allergies be written off like the search for the cure to the common cold? Are there ways to make life for allergy and asthma sufferers easier?
Our guest is Dr. John Winder, an allergist who has developed one of the most successful adult asthma self-management programs. Dr. Winder is also the director of the Allergy and Asthma Research Center in Toledo, OH.
Please pose your questions to allergy and asthma specialist Dr. John Winder by Thursday, May 1 at 12 noon EDT.
Questions asked in this forum:
How can I control and treat my asthma? Is there a relation between the menstral cycle and asthma and allergy symptoms? Can adults develop asthma late in life? What are the hereditary aspects of asthma and allergies? Is it true that the longer you breast feed, the less allergies your children will have? What new drugs are available to treat asthma and allergies? What kinds of allergy testing alternatives are there? Will my allergies be better or worse depending on where I live? Additional comments....
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