Happy Spring (and allergy season)!

Spring is officially here, and for many parts of the world, so is allergy season!

The frequent moves of military life can expose families to many different allergens they may not have encountered before. About 25 percent of Americans have seasonal allergies, and a quarter of those first developed symptoms as adults.

In the United States, depending on the time of year, certain allergens can be more prevalent.

Tree pollen is usually highest from February to June, grasses between May and August, and ragweed between August and October. Others are present year-round, such as mold. 

While allergies can happen anywhere, moving from one type of climate to another (such as moving from a dry, warm part of the country to one that is more humid) can be a trigger, even in people who have never had seasonal allergies before.

You may be exposed to a new allergen, or your body can become more sensitized to things you may not have been allergic to in the past.

Additionally, the stress of moving can make you more susceptible to allergy symptoms by weakening your immune system. 

Allergy Testing, Treatment, and Prevention

Often, seasonal allergies can be treated with over-the-counter medications, or through other methods like immunotherapy.

In order to determine the best treatment for allergies, it is important to find out exactly what you are allergic to. This can be done through allergy testing, which is covered by Tricare.

One common way to test for allergies is the skin prick test. This test is most often used for diagnosing allergies to substances that are airborne, like dust mites and pet dander.

It can also be used for food allergies, but these allergies can often require further testing to confirm. 

Skin prick testing consists of the following:

• A small amount of the allergen is placed on the skin, then the skin is pricked so the allergen goes underneath the surface. This is usually done on the back or arm. 
• A health care provider watches the patient closely for 15 to 20 minutes to look for signs of an allergic reaction, such as redness or swelling. 

Intradermal skin testing is another option, which involves injecting the allergen directly into the skin instead of placing it on the surface first.

• The patch test is another method, which requires having potential allergens taped to the skin for 48 hours, and having a health care provider observe any reactions in 72 to 96 hours.
• Each of these test types can test for multiple allergens at the same time.

If your allergy symptoms are not severe, you can likely manage them at home.

You can use antihistamines (to address symptoms related to histamine, which is released by the immune system in response to allergens) and nasal spray (to manage inflammation). 

The combination of these medications is usually effective for people experiencing more moderate symptoms. Allergies that do not respond to over-the-counter medications can possibly be treated with immunotherapy, which consists of injecting increasing doses of the allergen into the body.

Over time, this causes the immune system to become less reactive to the allergen, which reduces allergy symptoms. Immunotherapy can also help reduce inflammation caused by allergens.

In addition to treatments, there are also steps you can take to help reduce the amount of allergens in your home.

These include using HEPA filters, ensuring that windows are closed during times of high pollen counts, using a dehumidifier, using a dryer for laundry instead of an outdoor clothesline, and brushing pets regularly to reduce the amount of dander. ‘

When spending time outside, you can check local pollen counts (and stay inside when counts are high), wear sunglasses to help protect your eyes from pollen, and take a shower and change your clothes after returning indoors.

Fortunately, Tricare covers multiple services to help diagnose and treat allergies so you can enjoy spring wherever you live! Click here to find more information about what allergy services Tricare covers, and how you can access them.

*For more posts like this, visit our MM Expert Author Page.

Sources

• https://www.allergypartners.com/articles/blog/what-happens-when-you-move-to-another-part-of-the-country-coping-with-new-regional-allergies/
• https://www.allergyasc.com/moving
• https://www.airforcemedicine.af.mil/News/Display/Article/1125406/tricare-can-offer-relief-for-allergy-sufferers/
• https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/tests/allergy-testing-skin#:~:text=The%20test%20involves%20placing%20a,introduced%20under%20the%20skin%20surface.
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/allergy-tests/about/pac-20392895
• https://acaai.org/allergies/management-treatment/allergy-immunotherapy/