Indianapolis — The warm and dry conditions experienced across much of the country are expected to play havoc for allergy sufferers. With September already upon us, many people will be in search of relief from severe allergy symptoms at least until the first frost occurs and possibly longer.
Fall can be just as bad as spring when it comes to allergies and often worse. Working in the yard, raking leaves and planting fall flowers can often cause allergy symptoms to intensify. Ragweed is expected to be especially troublesome for people prone to fall allergies. Symptoms can result in sinus headaches, itchy eyes, nasal congestion and asthma.
“From a symptom standpoint, late summer and fall tend to be the worst for allergy sufferers,” said Dr. William Baker, allergy section chief for the IU School of Medicine and an allergist at Wishard Health Services. “This time of the year tends to be really bad for people who have ragweed and mold allergies.”
Before seeking treatment there are step a person can take to limit allergy symptoms.
“For many people, avoidance measures can greatly reduce the symptoms of allergies,” Baker explained. “Keeping windows closed and using the air conditioning, avoiding the outdoors for an extensive time during the morning hours when allergies tend to be the worse and never drying your clothes outside on a clothes line are some steps people can take.”
In addition, if someone prone to allergies spends an extended time outside it is recommended to shower or bathe before going to bed to limit the potential of spreading the allergens.
Dr. Baker said there are three steps a person who has severe allergies should follow to treat his or her symptoms. The first step is to try over-the-counter medications. If no improvement is seen within a few days, a visit to a primary care physician is warranted. In many cases, if the symptoms do not improve after seeing a primary care doctor, the person is then referred to an allergy clinic for skin testing to determine the allergens causing the reaction. If all else fails, medication prescribed by a physician, either a nasal spray or an oral prescription, typically can ease symptoms. For severe cases, allergy shots may be necessary.
For those who tend to suffer from allergies all year long staying indoors in the fall might not be much help. Indoor mold allergies and dust mites are the typical culprits for year-round sufferers.
Wishard has established a primary care network consisting of its Primary Care Center and nine Community Health Centers, conveniently located throughout Indianapolis. To access these services, the public is encouraged to call Health Connection at Wishard, a telephone call center that operates 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
The call center is also available to assist and provide helpful information to people with questions. Registered nurses who have access to a wide variety of up-to-date health care information evaluate people over the phone and connect them to the most appropriate level of care.
For more information on the services Wishard provides or to find a primary care physician, call Health Connection at (317) 655-2255.
