Maryland State Wire

• People who have spring allergies might start feeling their symptoms kicking in, as trees have begun to pollinate.

• Symptoms can include sneezing, itchy eyes, coughing, congestion and fatigue.

• People who need to undergo allergy testing or treatment have several options. 

Frederick Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers offers a variety of testing and treatment options for allergy sufferers in Frederick County and the surrounding areas.

Among testing methods is the skin-prick test and a blood test to identify the patient's reaction to specific allergens.

“You're doing either skin-prick testing on the back or the forearm, and you're placing the allergen and seeing if they develop a flare,” Dr. James Oberman of Frederick Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told Maryland State Wire. “So that's called in vivo testing, and that is still performed, but equally as sensitive and specific is what's called in vitro testing, or RAST. In vitro testing, which is a blood test, we test for a specific allergy-type antibody. This is a specific antibody to an allergen that somebody is allergic to, and it would be elevated on a blood test  And it's specific for a geographic region, for the Frederick, the mid-Atlantic states, in addition to other panels for food and other allergens.”

People who suffer from spring allergies might feel their symptoms starting to kick in during February or March, when trees begin to pollinate, according to Blanchard Valley Health. As wind spreads the pollen through the air, it can come into contact with skin, eyes, noses, and mouths and set off allergy symptoms.

Spring allergy sufferers might be allergic to the pollen of specific trees, such as birch, sycamore, oak or walnut. These types of pollen have different features, which makes it tricky to develop a single allergy treatment to address them. Fortunately, allergists are able to test for allergies to the various types of pollen and develop unique treatments for allergy sufferers.

The 50 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies might experience sneezing, coughing, congestion, itchy eyes, a runny nose and fatigue, according to Yale Medicine. People who need to undergo testing for allergies typically have two options, a skin test or blood test.

The skin test entails a doctor inserting a tiny amount of potential allergens under the skin of the patient's upper arm, with the skin becoming red and swollen if the patient has an allergy. Patients typically have their results within one to two days. The blood test consists of drawing the patient's blood and testing for allergens in a lab. Although this testing method takes longer to produce results, it allows doctors to test for more allergens than a skin test.

To minimize spring allergy symptoms, Mayo Clinic recommends staying indoors on dry, windy days when pollen is more likely to spread. Allergy sufferers are advised to shower after they are outside to remove any pollen from their skin. Checking the pollen count on a local news station or online can help people with allergies plan for when it is best to stay indoors and keep windows shut.

Allergy sufferers can also look for an over-the-counter remedy, such as oral decongestants, antihistamines or nasal sprays. If those solutions don't ease the allergy symptoms, alternative treatments, such as allergy shots or immunotherapy, could provide relief.

If you’re interested in learning more about the symptoms of sinusitis and allergies, please take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.