LA Harbor News

• More than 23 million people in the U.S. suffer from allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever.
• Ragweed allergy is a common cause of hay fever.
• Fortunately, there are several treatment options available for allergy sufferers.

Allergic rhinitis is also called hay fever, and an allergy to ragweed is a major cause of allergic rhinitis, according to the Allergy & Asthma Network.

Ragweed allergy sufferers feel the peak effects of their symptoms in mid-September, and those symptoms can last until November. Ragweed plants grow in abundance across the country, and their pollen can be found in every state. Common allergy symptoms include a runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes and nose, and hives.

People who are allergic to ragweed and also have asthma could experience a flareup in asthma symptoms if they inhale the plant's pollen. Asthma-related hospitalizations spike in mid-September, thanks to ragweed pollen.

"Allergies are a large contributing factor to setting off sinus problems," Dr. Matt Hershcovitch of SoCal Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told LA Harbor News. "Allergies, very generally, are your body's sensitivity to something. Often it could be pollen, it could be dust mites, it could be some sort of pet dander. When you breathe in the irritant or the allergen, it causes a reaction in your nose, and it causes all these inflammatory mediators and white blood cells to attack the allergen, which causes a lot of inflammation. This is what triggers the sinus problems. The sinus openings structurally, for many people, are extremely narrow. And if you get even just a little bit of inflammation to shut it down, that leads to stagnation and blockage of airflow through the sinus. When that happens, you end up with this bacterial overgrowth that consumes the sinus, causes pain, pressure, drainage, headaches, you name it. Allergies are often a trigger."

To minimize allergy symptoms, allergy sufferers can take the following steps: Premedicate with a nasal spray or antihistamine, change clothing and take a shower after coming inside, wear a mask outdoors, keep windows and doors closed, and monitor ragweed pollen counts. People who are allergic to ragweed should also avoid certain foods that are botanically related to ragweed, including bananas, mangoes, artichokes, cucumbers, cantaloupes, watermelons, sunflower seeds and zucchini.

To diagnose allergies, doctors review the patient's symptoms and medical history, and they may recommend either a blood test or a skin test, according to WebMD. For a skin test, the doctor places a small amount of the allergen on the patient's skin, typically on the forearm or back. If the patient is allergic to that particular allergen, a small, itchy bump will appear.

Depending on the type and severity of your allergies, your doctor could recommend various treatment options, according to Mayo Clinic. Some treatments options are over-the-counter medications, nasal sprays, allergy shots, immunotherapy, or, for very severe allergies, carrying an emergency epinephrine shot, such as an EpiPen.

If you're suffering from allergies and are interested in learning more about testing or treatment, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.