The eyes are
irritated and reddened, and tears flow. Some hay-favorites have a daily cycle,
awakening with symptoms in the early morning, experiencing relief from late
morning until late afternoon, then becoming discomfited again. Some patients
notice that symptoms are affected by environmental factors such as humidity,
heat or cold, strong sunlight, or wind. One patient, very sensitive to high
humidity, noted severe aggravation of symptoms whenever he took a hot bath. He
improved greatly by changing to sponge baths.
Air conditioning helped his
attacks, too, by reducing humidity as well as by filtering out pollen and dust.
Usually, the symptoms and their seasonal nature are all that are needed for
diagnosis. In addition, the doctor tests for sensitivity to a large variety of
allergens, by injection or scratching them into the skin.
These tests help
determine the substance or substances to which the patient should be de-
sensitized. The outlook for hay fever is varied. At best, there may be only
minor symptoms easily controlled by filtering air in the bedroom and perhaps by
occasional use of one of the medicines employed for hay fever. At worst, there
may be severe symptoms which prevent enjoyable living and working for weeks;
danger of sinus blockage with headaches, middle ear pressure, or infection
(especially in children); development of nasal polyps; and appearance of
asthma.
Most cases fall between, with several weeks of annoying symptoms during
which the victim is uncomfortable and unable to work or live at his usual
productive level. With most patients, the end of the season brings an end to
all symptoms, and the malady may be forgotten until the next season comes
around.
Doctors often warn hay-feverites to avoid, at all times,
house dust, fumes, heavy tobacco smoke, etc., because these may set off a
hay-feverlike attack between seasons or aggravate attacks during the season,
Effective treatment will frequently prevent the formation of the little benign
cystic tumors in the nose called polyps. Also, such therapy will help prevent
development of asthma. One form of preventive treatment is to avoid the
allergen.
People who can afford it, or whose work is not de- pendent on a
special locale, may go to an area in the United States or abroad where the
particular sensitizing pollen does not occur. While this is not possible for
most people, many can take their two- to four-week vacation at places away from
the pollen or where the humidity and other atmospheric factors are pleasant and
helpful. Another form of prevention is to remove the pollens.
There are effective filters for ventilating and air
conditioning units; also, there is a special device which precipitates out
pollen. Your doctor or a specialist in allergy (allergist) will tell you where
you can purchase these and what rooms to use them in. For homeowners who can
afford it, a central unit that filters out pollens and controls humidity makes
life comfortable; sometimes the cost of such a unit is not greater than the
loss of time from work or the expense of distant vacations. Those who do not
have such methods of removing pollens some- times prevent serious attacks by
going to an air conditioned movie, theater, or restaurant when they feel
symptoms coming on. Desensitization treatment is often effective.
For this, the
doctor administers small, gradually increasing amounts of the offending
allergen by injection before the season starts in order to build up tolerance.
Even after the season has started, desensitization treatment may sometimes help
symptoms, at least to some extent.
Sometimes, there is obstruction to breathing because of a
deviated nasal septum or the presence of polyps. At present, there is little
need for electrical or chemical cautery of the nasal membranes, but
occasionally cautery may prove helpful. Other Inhalant Allergies Symptoms
similar to those of hay fever may be caused by many allergens other than
pollens. Such allergy is called inhalational allergy, perennial hay fever, or
perennial allergic rhinitis.
House dust is a common cause. House dust is not
simple dirt or dust or sand but has been described as a mixture of
"cotton, bits of wool, Feathers, animal hair, pesticide, powder, insect
scales, mites, shreds of kapok, shreds of cellulose, and other foreign
material, and colonies of mold (mildew) and bacteria." Other causes of
year-round hay fever include hair and dander of pets, horses, goats; wool;
feathers; cotton- seed (from mattresses and furniture stuffing); pyrethrum
powder; flaxseed; orris root; and such miscellaneous items as gums and resins,
soybean, glue, castor bean, flour, jute, hemp, sisal, coffee, and sawdust.
There are still others which doctor and patient may have to
track down in individual cases. Desensitization to these allergens is more
difficult than to pollens. There- fore, avoidance or removal of an offending
substance becomes important and is usually fairly easy if there is clear-cut
recognition of a single allergen. For example, the person who sneezes only in
the presence of a cat can have another pet. A voidance of house dust is more
difficult, but the doctor will discuss various ways to reduce it in the home.
