You At Your Best

By KARen Rice you At youR BeSt Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness in the U.S. with an annual cost in excess of $18 billion. More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 13 people have asthma—more than 25 million Americans. That's 7.7 percent of adults and 8.4 percent of children. Asthma has been increasing since the early 1980s in all age, sex and racial groups. Allergies are an overreaction of the immune system to substances like pollen, dust mites and animal dander that generally do not affect other individuals. These substances, or allergens, can cause sneezing, coughing, and itching. Some allergies are seasonal, like hay fever. Allergic reactions range from itchy eyes and skin irritations to allergy- induced asthma and life- threatening anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is the most severe allergic reaction. Symptoms include flush; tingling of the palms of the hands, soles of the feet or lips; light-headedness, and chest-tightness. If not treated, these can progress into seizures, cardiac arrhythmia, shock, and respiratory distress. Anaphylaxis can result in death. Food, latex, insect sting, and drug allergies can all result in anaphylaxis. Anyone may have or develop an allergy – from a baby born with an allergy to cow's milk, to a child who gets poison ivy, to a senior citizen who develops hives after taking a new medication. The most common allergic diseases include: hay fever, asthma, conjunctivitis, hives, eczema, dermatitis and sinusitis. Food allergies are most prevalent in young children and are frequently outgrown. Latex allergies are a reaction to the proteins in latex rubber, a substance used in gloves, condoms and other products. Bees, hornets, wasps, yellow jackets, and fire ants can cause insect sting allergies. Allergies to drugs, like penicillin, can affect any tissue or organ in the body. And while allergies are not preventable, allergic reactions are. Once a person knows they are allergic to something, they can avoid contact with the allergen. Strategies for doing this include being in an air- conditioned environment during peak hay-fever season, avoiding certain foods and medications, and eliminating dust mites and animal dander from the home. One can also reduce or eliminate symptoms by taking over the counter medication to counteract reactions or being immunized with allergy injection therapy. Some facts about allergies and asthma By KARen Rice you At youR BeSt As winter gives way to spring and trees and flowers begin to bloom in Northwest Arkansas, seasonal allergies are bound to make their appearance as well. Social distancing measures enacted during the COVID-19 over the past year forced many of us to stay home, only venturing outside to run routine errands like buying groceries or filling prescriptions. We're anxious to get out in the fresh air (and pollen.) The good news is that a vaccination is here and the case numbers are falling, the bad news that COVID-19 has not been eradicated. So as spring hit its stride and pollen counts climb, many people might wonder if certain symptoms they experience are byproducts of seasonal allergies or the COVID-19 virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that it's easy to mistake common allergy symptoms for COVID-19. But it's important that people recognize the symptoms of allergies and COVID-19 are different. The following are some symptoms of allergies and some of COVID-19, courtesy of the CDC and the Mayo Clinic. Allergy symptoms · Itchy eyes · Stuffy nose · Sneezing Doctors advise people who are exhibiting potential allergy symptoms to pay attention to their body temperatures. People with allergies very rarely experience fever, so the absence of fever, even if other symptoms of allergies are present, might indicate that a person is suffering from allergies and not COVID-19. In addition, allergy symptoms tend to be mild and recur year after year around the same time, such as when plants bloom in spring and summer. So if symptoms that are currently present are the same ones a person confronts every year, then he or she is likely suffering from allergies and not COVID-19. People can err on the side of caution by discussing their symptoms and history with their physicians. Coronavirus symptoms · Shortness of breath · Fever · Cough Some asthma sufferers experience shortness of breath as a result of allergies, so people with asthma should consider that before assuming they have COVID-19. Discussing shortness of breath with a physician can help asthma sufferers gain more clarity on their condition. While symptoms of allergies and COVID-19 are different, the CDC notes that people suffering from the flu may experience the same symptoms experienced by people with the coronavirus. Symptoms such as fever, fatigue, body aches, and cough can affect both flu and COVID-19 sufferers, so people experiencing these symptoms should contact their physicians. It's easy to mistake common allergy symptoms as indicative of the presence of the COVID-19 virus. But the symptoms of each condition are quite different. Learn more at www.cdc.gov. is it allergies or coVid-19? sneezeat Nothing to suNDAY, mArCh 28, 2021 | April - Allergies & AsthmA NwADg.COm/YOuAtYOurBest | YOu At YOur Best | 5

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