Taking Control During Allergy Season

Allergic reactions occur when your body has an immune response to a foreign substance, such as a food, medicine or

animal.

If you have seasonal allergies, or allergic rhinitis, the trigger

for your allergic reactions is pollen.

Seasonal allergies usually lead to

nasal congestion, a runny nose and

sneezing.

You may also experience wheezing, coughing and

shortness of breath, and asthma attacks may

occur if you do not treat your allergies.

A nose, ear and throat doctor, or otolaryngologist,

can diagnose seasonal allergies with skin tests and

blood tests.

Avoid pollen producers. Learn to recognize the

ones in your region, and try to stay away

from them.

Follow the pollen count. Weather services and allergy organizations

publish pollen counts to indicate the amount of

pollen in your area.

An ear, nose and throat specialist can

definitively diagnose your allergies and

provide strategies for minimizing your allergic

reactions.