Don’t Let Fall Allergies Slow You Down at School and Work

After the lazy days of summer, it can be tough transitioning into fall when allergies are bringing you down. And with ragweed at its seasonal peak, it’s time to start combatting this pesky allergen stat. But first, it’s essential to address what, exactly, is a ragweed allergy and why it’s making you (and possibly your little one!) feel groggy and congested.

Ragweed season begins in mid-August, peaks in September and October and does not subside until a hard frost kills it, typically in early November in Pennsylvania. Moreover, you do not have to be in the countryside to suffer from ragweed allergy. City residents are just as prone because one ragweed plant can produce 1 million granules of pollen each day that, in turn, travel in the wind for hours, peaking in urban areas by the afternoon.

Perhaps even worse, ragweed allergy causes lots of missed school and work days in part because the symptoms often resemble a stubborn cold. And we don’t know about you, but we like to squirrel away our sick days for, well, days we’re actually sick.

So, in order to save those sick days, it’s best to consult the allergy experts. After determining that you do, in fact, have a ragweed allergy, clinicians at Allergy & Asthma Specialists (they have eight locations in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs) offer a slew of treatments to effectively address it.

First, some patients can control their symptoms with antihistamines, however most patients will find relief with nasal steroid sprays. If you’re still suffering, immunotherapy becomes necessary.  For patients allergic to ragweed exclusively, Ragwitek, the sublingual allergy tablet is available and prescribed by Allergy & Asthma Specialists.

But for patients who have multiple allergies, subcutaneous immunotherapy injections or sublingual immunotherapy drops may be considered. Sound scary? It’s totally not. Sublingual immunotherapy is the medical term for allergy-fighting drops that go under your tongue. And, get this, Allergy & Asthma Specialists is the only allergy practice in the region to prescribe them. Both therapies are super-effective, helping your immune system build up your own natural immunity or tolerance, making you less allergic.

Fret not, allergy sufferers; there’s relief in sight! Just be sure to nip those annoying allergies now, so you can embrace fall festivities sniffle-free.

The board certified allergists of Allergy & Asthma Specialists^SM are experts in diagnosing ragweed allergies and offer all three types of immunotherapy at offices located in Center City Philadelphia, Blue Bell, King of Prussia, Jenkintown, Doylestown, Lansdale, Pottstown and Collegeville, Pennsylvania. Schedule an appointment today online at www.allergyandasthmawellness.com or by calling 1-800-86COUGH, ext. 2.