No, it’s not federal tax-filing time. That is over. If you missed the April 15th filing deadline, I hope you get that resolved before trouble finds you, because unfortunately there is no available alternative to paying your taxes. 

The time of the year that this month's headline refers to is an annual bout with seasonal allergies. Yes, all the beautiful budding flowers and trees may look nice and smell wonderful, but the effects of this cyclical event can be life-altering, to say the least, and can sometimes be devastating to one’s physical health and cognitive abilities. As such, many feel they have no choice but to employ pharmaceutical “solutions” for relief. Today, I’d like to challenge that by helping you understand why the reactions happen and by offering some alternatives.

The usual offender in these springtime allergic reactions is pollen, which is an airborne allergen. As we begin to move around outdoors, we are exposed to a variety of different plant-based allergens (pollen). The cluster of symptoms of these exposures is often referred to as “allergic rhinitis” or hay fever. The specific symptoms may range from mild to severe. They include a runny nose, itchy eyes, fatigue, sneezing, a stuffy nose, watery eyes, or an itchy throat, sinuses, or ears. Some less severe symptoms may include a headache, shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing. Approximately eight percent of Americans suffer from these symptoms.

These pollens derive from trees, grasses, and other weeds. Pollens that originate in showy, flowering plants that are spread by insects and animals are typically too sticky and heavy to stay in the air for long and therefore are less offensive than wind-pollinated plants. If you reside in a climate unlike ours here in Pennsylvania (one that is more temperate) you will find that a variety of plants will emit different pollens at differing times of the year.

What occurs from these offending pollens is an “overreaction” of sorts. Your immune system interprets what would normally be a common allergen as a “dangerous invader” and goes into a “hyper-response” by releasing an overabundance of histamines and other substances into your bloodstream, which trigger the elevated response. This in turn causes the symptoms that you experience. Specific cells in your immune system called “mast cells” release this overabundance of histamines.

THE BODY’S RESPONSE

As I have said to you in the past, “the body never does anything wrong,” and in this case, everything that occurs in this response to the offending allergen (pollen) is perfect. Unfortunately, the response is just more elevated than it should be.

What specifically then are the body’s responses that help to remove the allergens from the body? First of all, the mast cell production of histamines causes the mucous membranes in your body (primarily in the respiratory tract) to begin producing mucus. This process is designed to first protect the other tissues lining the respiratory tract, but it also acts to flush out the invading allergen. The itching that some experience with seasonal allergies is also designed to force you, by scratching your skin, to physically remove any topical allergens (pollen).

Overall, it’s a pretty wonderful system as it is designed. It protects your body and removes the invader. Unfortunately,  the system sometimes goes into “hyperdrive.” That’s when the body overreacts to the invader and begins producing an extremely heightened response.

WAYS TO GET RELIEF

So, what can you do about it if you are suffering the symptoms of a heightened histamine response? Well, you could avoid the allergens, which for most of us would be virtually impossible. I have to say that air conditioning does help, which is one way to get some relief. So, if you are out doing gardening or yard work and the symptoms come on, go into an air-conditioned space for a while, and you might get some relief. Showering when you come indoors will also remove any topical pollen as well.

Many resort to either over-the-counter or prescription medications for relief of their histamine overreaction to pollen. These are things such as “antihistamine medications,” either topical, oral, or nasal steroids, as well as oral decongestants. The oral decongestants category is a class of “pseudoepinephrine” drugs, or “false epinephrine.” They mimic the effects of a hormone called epinephrine, which naturally occurs in the body and is manufactured by your adrenal glands. 

Many of you have heard of the “EpiPen®,” which is an epinephrine auto-injector used as an emergency treatment for an anaphylactic reaction to something such as a bee sting in those who are highly allergic to bee venom. This class of drugs includes over-the-counter medications such as SUDAFED®. Other drugs that combine not only pseudoepinephrine and a decongestant include Zyrtec®-D, Allegra®-D, and Claritin®-D. Unfortunately, like virtually all medications, the trade-off for relief is other secondary or side effects. These may include drowsiness, dizziness, tiredness, dry mouth, nausea, headache, or trouble sleeping according to our friends at WebMD.

Here are some alternatives to these drugs that you may find helpful:

First, consider a “nasal wash.” There are many on the market ranging from the old faithful “neti pot” to the Naväge®, but my favorite is an over-the-counter nasal wash called NeilMed®, which you can purchase in most pharmacies.

Then there are the alternative supplements that I use myself when my seasonal allergies flare, which for me is typically in July. They include supplements that we use in the Center that include HistaQuel®, which naturally reduces the histamine response.

We also use something which many of our patients are familiar with called Allerplex®. This supplement is considered a “whole food supplement.” It contains vitamins, minerals, and herbs that support a healthy immune response.

For some, it may be helpful to determine specifically what you are allergic to, which can be attempted through blood allergen testing. 

For more information about these supplements and allergen testing, you can contact the Center for Nutrition and Wellness. We are offering a 10% discount on Allerplex and HistaQuel during the month of May 2025.

I hope that this information helps you to understand the natural response that some of you experience to the offending allergens this time of the year. These offenders unfortunately emanate from the beautiful plants that we see all around us. These beauties make this time of the year worthwhile in spite of the allergic responses that many of us experience to the pollens that are all around us.

Enjoy the scenery!
Dr. Pfeiffer