Is Hay Fever the same as other kinds of allergies?

The term allergies seem to be thrown around a lot. But how do you know the differences between the two and how are they related?

All allergies are technically hypersensitivity reactions in the body. As previously described in the blog entry http://hayfeverinfo.blogspot.com/2011/08/some-of-physio.html it is described that in Hay Fever, the body interprets an innocent particle, such as pollen or dust, as a harmful substance. As a result, the body recognizes the antigen at every exposure and causes an unnecessary immune reaction in order to “defeat” the invader. For nasal allergies, such as Hay Fever, the route of exposure is primarily through the respiratory tract; hence the respiratory symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing.

Food allergies, and other forms of allergies (ie drug or insect bites/stings) are also caused by the basic concept of hypersensitivity in the body. They also have varying degrees and severity depending on the body’s amount of exposure and how it interprets the threat. For example, the bee sting. The bee sting’s route of exposure is through a superficial sting, which can actually enter the blood stream. The antigen is first seen through the skin and the hypersensitivity reaction may include symptoms such as pain, swelling, and redness at the site of entry. For those with more severe allergies it can even reach the point of anaphylactic shock which is a life threatening condition where vasodilatation can cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure and airway constriction can inhibit breathing resulting in the body’s loss of oxygen.

The treatment for both of these types of allergies is through the same mechanisms usually centered around anti-inflammatory and antihistamine medications. So if you do suffer from hay fever then you may expect to take a diphenhydramine (Benadryl) for the hay fever symptoms and/or if a bee stung you it would also help in suppressing symptoms of the event.  However not all treatments work the same and this would not be sufficient for an anaphylactic emergency.

Because both of these conditions are both correlating around the body’s hypersensitivity, having one may put you at a higher risk of obtaining more allergies. For concerns feel free to contact a doctor and be aware of what allergies you may have. 

What is Hay Fever?

Hay Fever- you or someone you know probably suffers from this condition. For most people, the feeling comes every spring. Do watery itchy eyes, congestion, nonstop sneezing, or just that constant tickle in your throat haunt you as the flowers start to bloom. As unfortunate sounding as this may be, the seasonal hay fever sufferers have it easy compared to the who suffer from perennial, or year round, allergies.  As a fellow "allergy sufferer" I can relate to having the constant wad of tissues secured in my pockets or purse for both the exacerbations in spring and having to be in the presence of mold year round.

However these symptoms are very well known, but the confusion begins with what Hay Fever really is. Hay Fever, or sometimes known as allergic rhinitis, occurs when the presence of an allergen which would be completely harmless, is perceived as being just that opposite and triggers an immune response. This allergen could be from pollen, mold, dust mites, pet dander, cockroaches etc. (The in depth pathophysiologic explanation will be brought up in a future post). The higher levels of these allergens cause a more intense response and sensitization with exposure- that's why for seasonal sufferer's, the very high levels of pollen in the spring can leave some feeling miserable.

The most common symptoms experienced by hay fever include the initial sneezing, watery itchy eyes, altered smell or taste, thin watery nasal discharge, sustained nasal congestion. Throughout chronic exposure there may be headache, congestion, pressure, nasal polyps, post nasal drip (which will exacerbate a cough). The constant congestion may also lead to snoring and daytime drowsiness from difficulty sleeping.

So what can you do? There are plenty of OTC medications (which will be explained more in a future post), such as antihistamines, mast cell stabilizers, intranasal corticosteroids, and leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs). These are all triggered at symptom relief because there is no real "cure" once the antibodies have been made to the specific antigen- however immunotherapy (or allergy shots) can be used if trigger is identified and if medications are not effective. People often do nasal rinses or other alternative methods. The main thing that can be done is to identify the allergen and avoid it.