Just because it's almost fall doesn't mean allergies aren't lurking

Allergy sufferers may note the change of seasons with their eyes and noses, and people lucky enough not to be allergic need only watch the sneezing, nose-blowing, red-eyed ones who are.

Doctors with SoutheastHEALTH Primary Care and Saint Francis Medical Center say pollen always blows through Southeast Missouri -- from trees in the spring, grasses in the summer and weeds in the fall.

Sometimes heightened by the humidity of the Mississippi River Basin, these conditions make awareness of the causes and treatments a necessity for victims who might otherwise be overwhelmed.

Dr. Jamie Harrison, a family practitioner at SoutheastHEALTH Primary Care, said the fundamental issue is the types and amounts of trees, grasses and weeds that grow in the area.

"Local environmental factors do affect the 'potency,' so to speak, of allergens, including the humidity level we have here," Harrison wrote in an email.

Daniel administers a sensitivity scratch test with antigens for Thomas on Friday.FRED LYNCHflynch@ semissourian.com

"There is a direct relationship between the amount of plants and the pollen count that circulates in the air. The Midwest is affected more intensely," she said. "For example, Missouri, Tennessee and Mississippi make the top 10 list of states, compared to the Mountain States, where fewer plants exist and therefore fewer allergens are present to cause triggers."

Harrison said an allergen is essentially a sensitivity to a particle in the air.

"If the sensitivity is present, this triggers a reaction in one's body that creates the cascade we know as a runny nose, itchy eyes, drainage and feeling miserable," she said. "For those lucky enough not to have this sensitivity, these same allergens will not induce this effect in your body."

Harrison wrote that the main culprit in fall allergies here is ragweed.

"The mainstays of treatment are antihistamines, such as Claritin, which can be obtained over the counter," she said.

"The next steps would include medications such as Singulair, nasal sprays, eye drops and even immunotherapy, all of which would have to be discussed with your doctor."

Dr. Adam Morgan, an ear, nose and throat specialist at Saint Francis' Cape ENT Group, said trees, grasses and weeds each have a pollination cycle of six to 12 weeks and that some people "are allergic to all of them."

However, Morgan said the weeds of fall are the worst.

"This region is the mecca of allergens," he said.

Asked if mold is also a problem, Morgan said, "Mold is ubiquitous in our environment.

"If you have a leaky basement, you could have mold in your basement, or mold could be in the soil of your house plants. So if you have this sensitivity, you need to get rid of the house plants."

Morgan said the most common treatments are antihistamines and nasal steroid sprays.

"If those don't help, then we start talking about skin-testing to quantify the allergies and let us know if they are mild or severe," he said. "Then we might consider immunotherapy."

Morgan said immunotherapy involves injecting antigens or administering allergen extracts in drops or tablets sublingually, or under the tongue, to make the patient less reactive.

"Sublingual immunotherapy is particularly nice for kids so they don't have to get shots every week," he said. "This is the most exciting treatment we have now."