University Daily Kansan / Thursday, April 21, 1988
Science/Health
Jacque Janssen, arts/features editor
Allergies can make monsters out of men
By Kathleen Faddis
Kansan staff writer
Hay fever. For the sufferer, it's the sneezing, the runny nose, the sneezing, the watery eyes, the sneezing, the itchy eyes and nose, and the sneezing.
But the term hay fever is misleading, said John Martinez, a Lawrence physician who treats allergies. The allergic reaction usually is not due to hay, and no fever is associated with it, usual in cases of the allergic reaction which interfer in late summer, and fall, when ragweed is at its peak.
For reasons that are not all known, when the allergic person inhales an irritant such as ragged pollen, the body's immune system causes the release of chemicals that stimulate the mucous membranes to swell and secrete a thick coat to keep the irritant out, said Sandra Hadi, a clinic nurse at Watkins Hospital's allergy clinic.
This may sound like a bad commercial for a decongestant, but for those who have it, hay fever is no laughing matter.
The term probably originated because more people have symptoms during the fall.
Hay fever is the allergic reaction some people have to certain irritants, including mold spores and tree, grass and weed pollen.
Martinez said, "Allergic persons are genetically programmed to make too much allergy antibodies to the various things in the environment. Sometimes, the immune system of the allergic person is like a watchdog that does its job too well."
Although people are born with a genetic predisposition to allergies, the symptoms can develop any time, even late in life.
Allergies also can change over time. "A person can have a near fatal reaction to penicillin early in life, and 10 to 15 years old no demonstrable reaction," Martensen said.
"You need to have the right genetic predisposition and the necessary exposure to develop the allergy," Martinez said.
Allergies can be outgrown, he said. Most children with food allergies will outgrow them; food allergies are rare in adults.
The culprits
rugwee, which pollinates from late summer until October or until the first frost, is probably the worst offender in causing respiratory allergies in the Midwest, Martinez
"Fall is the worst season of the year for allergy patients." Martinez said.
Cocklebur, dandelion, marsh elder and mugwort are other weeds that commonly cause allergic symptoms from August to October.
Spring allergies usually are caused by tree and grass pollen. Trees pollinating in March and April that normally cause the problem include maple, elm, cottonwood, oak, sycamore and ash.
Flowers and flowering trees have gotten a bad rap for being the culprit of spring sneezing. Martinez said. These trees have a heavy, sticky pollen that does not easily become airborne. The trees and other plants that cause allergies usually are green, drab, and inconspicuous, and their pollen is light and easily windborne.
But it is possible to suffer from allergies all year. People who suffer from perennial allergic rhinitis may be reacting to a variety of things, including hair from housepets, cats being the worst source of dust and indoor mold that grows in basement walls and on shower curtains.
cause the allergies are dust mites and cockroaches." Martinez said.
Because of the seasonal nature of most callergies, hay fever is often called seasonal callergic rhinitis. Rhinitis is the term for inflammation of the mucous membrane in children.
Allergies in late spring, in May and June,
usually are caused by grass pollen, includ-
usually are caused by grass pollen, including bermuda, alfalfa, corn, mil and wheat. Spores from outdoor molds become airborne in early spring and can cause problems for allergy sufferers through the summer and into late fall, overlapping all three pollen
dump these materials and do the major components of house dust that
Other factors can aggravate allergies, such as changes in weather, air pollution, barometric pressure and odors from paints and insecticides. Martinez referred to these as non-specific irritants. He included cigarette smoke in this category.
"Hardly anyone ever becomes allergic to cigarette smoke," he said, but "mothers who smoke put their child at significant risk for allergies."
This can occur if the mother smokes either during pregnancy or after birth.
"It's a useless piece of geographically inappropriate and outdated data," he said.
Air pollution is not a significant problem for allergy sufferers in the Midwest, Martinez said, and pollen counts are of little use. They often are counts of the previous day, and the closest pollen count available in Lawrence is from the Kansas City area.
Allergies can be treated by avoiding the allergen. Immunotherapy or through allergy shots.
Keeping awav
Obviously, the best way to deal with allergies is to avoid the things that make you sneeze, but that is not always practical. 'Yes, you can only so far, without severely
"You can only go so far without severely restricting your lifestyle." Martinez said.
An allergist can help by identifying and confirming the cause of the allergy, or allergen. This is done by injecting a weak solution under the skin and checking the reaction.
And you have to know what affects your allergies to be able to avoid it.
If you are sensitive to pollen, keep windows closed during the season and use air conditioning. Martinez also recommends not using attic fans or window box fans because they suck pollen that is circulating in the air into the house.
Keeping the house as free of dust as possible and changing the furnace filter also are recommended. Dehumidifiers can cut down on mold that grows inside.
Unfortunately for Lawrence residents, the Midwest is often regarded as the worst area of the country for allergy sufferers, Martinez said.
Probably the best place in the United States for an allergy patient would be Alaska, he said. "A lot of patients might also get better when they go to the arid Southwest, but not always, especially with the increased irritation," he said.
Moving to another area of the country usually helps an allergy patient only temporarily. "it seems that it takes two to four hours," he said, referring to things in a new environment." Martinez said.
Popping pills
Most drugs on the market to treat allergy symptoms can be bought without a prescription.
Martinez sees nothing wrong with self-medication. "If the drug works to your satisfaction and if it's tolerated, then there's nothing wrong with doing that," he said.
Two general classes of allergy drugs are available on the counter: antihistamines and antineoplastic agents.
Antihistamines counteract the allergic reaction by reducing the release of chemicals, one of which is histamine, that cause the physiological response. This has a drying effect and can reduce inflammation, said Rita Matchett, associate professor of pharmacy.
Decongestants cause the blood vessels to constrict, reducing swelling and opening up airways.
"The choice of which to use for the allergic response is largely by trial and error." Matchett said. A number of products on the market contain both.
Side effects associated with the drugs can cause problems. "Antihistamines have the unfortunate side effect of producing drowsiness." Matchett said.
Some new drugs on the market are less sedative, he said, but these are available only
Decongestants can be taken orally or
applied locally (topically) by drops or spray. "The problem with decongestants that are applied topically is that if they are used too frequently, you get a phenomenon known as rebound congestion," he said. They will wear masks and use cloths of congestion will be worse than it was before.
Martinez called this a vicious cycle. He recommended that such medicines be avoided
Decongestants taken orally increase blood pressure and heart rate, Matechett said, because the blood vessels are being constricted systemically. Diabetes and thyroid conditions also can be aggravated by systemic decongestants.
effects is less when steroids are not taken systemically, MATCHet recommended that patients use these drugs only for short periods and when nothing else has worked
Topical sprays containing steroids that can reduce inflammation also are available by prescription. Although the danger of side
Shooting up
It often is impractical for normal, active people to avoid everything they are allergic to.
"That's why I'm a great advocate of immunotherapy," Martinez said. "That is your best chance of feeling better with the amount of medication and least altered lifestyle."
Allergy shots work by desensitization, in which the body's response to the allergen is lessened by weekly injections of a weak solution of the substance. The injections now
to be started at least several months before the onset of the symptoms.
Although shots won't work for everyone Martinez said, about 70 to 90 percent of cases can be improved.
"The more things you are allergic to and the greater your need for medication, the greater candidate you are for desensitization." Martinez said.
He said that after three to five years of desemestization, patients often could remain
Although Watkins Hospital has no allergy specialists, KU students can get weekly injections with prescriptions from outside physicians, said allergy clinic nurse Sandra
"We see about 300 people a month for allergy injections," Hadi said.
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Paddy Still Missing Mrs. Murphy Fears The Worst
A missing persons report has been filed with the Lawrence police department by the wife of Paddy Murphy. Murphy, last seen chasing a sheep through the fields surrounding Silo Tech, was rumored to be heading towards Oklahoma to add a new twist to the cabbage "victory" dance.
This report, however, is in question. A series of incidents have been reported on farms between Manhattan and Lawrence. One local witness to these acts said, "What he did weren't so baaaaad."
Indeed, shots of tequila mysteriously appeared on the desks
Meanwhile, Mrs. Murphy has been worrying about her husband at the local taverns. Rumors at a nearby country club have linked Mrs. Murphy to sobriety. She finally found herself having a good time being sober.
of state senators in Topeka. The shots came with a note that read, "Thanks for repealing them dang drinkin' laws. Makes my job much easier." —Paddy.
Reports from KCI say that a man covered with manure, reeking of alcohol, and carrying a glass slipper boarded a plane muttering. "That Tom Jones really knows how to party!"
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