Baton Rouge Clinic News & Updates

Current Pollen Levels to be a Regular Feature

The Baton Rouge Clinic is pleased to announce that our web page will present data on current pollen counts courtesy of our Allergist, Dr. Joseph Redhead.  This data is located at the bottom of the right column on our web page.  This time of year when grasses and trees bloom or pollinate, seasonal allergies also seem to "bloom" for some.  However, for others, allergy season starts in January and will end the following January, then start all over again.

Many people suffer from frequent or constant nasal and sinus symptoms, officially known as chronic rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, affects 15% to 20% of the population. Some people have chronic nasal problems not caused by allergies, and about one-third of people with chronic nasal complaints have a mixture of allergic and non-allergic rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis is the result of a person’s immune system mistakenly overreacting to tiny airborne particles in their environment. Classical symptoms of hay fever include: sneezing, itching, runny nose and nasal congestion. Many people also have eye symptoms. Some people only have symptoms during particular seasons of the year. Their symptoms are usually caused by pollens from trees, grasses, and weeds or by mold spores outdoors.

Some patients with nasal allergies have year round or perennial symptoms. Often they complain of a “cold” that never goes away, and their symptoms usually consist of nasal congestion and post nasal drip. Causes for perennial allergies usually include indoor allergens such as animal dander, dust mites, and sometimes mold or cockroaches. There are enough outdoor allergens in Baton Rouge to give some people perennial rhinitis.

When a person’s symptoms are seasonal, the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis can often be made with a visit to a primary care physician. People with year round or inconsistent patterns of symptoms often need allergy testing by a board certified allergist to confirm the diagnosis. Prick skin testing is still the preferred method of testing. It is a bit more accurate and much less expensive than blood allergy testing.

The first line of treatment is allergen avoidance. Your allergist can provide you with specific instructions on allergen avoidance based on your history and test results. Attempts at avoidance without testing can often result in a high expenditure of money and no improvement in symptoms when the patient focuses on the wrong allergens.

The second line of therapy is medication. Some medications are for immediate relief of symptoms. A number of antihistamines are available on the market, though many of them can cause intolerable side effects. Patients with long periods of symptoms usually benefit from suppressive medicines, especially prescription nasal sprays. These should be taken on a daily basis to be most effective. Patients should know that the medicines will only help when they are taken and can never cure the allergies.

The third line of treatment for allergies is the administration of allergenic vaccines, commonly known as immunotherapy or allergy shots. Over time, immunotherapy induces a tolerance to the offending allergens. When administered by a board certified allergist/immunologist, studies show that 80% to 90% of patients show significant improvement and some patients are cured of their allergies. This requires an extended course, usually three to five years, on immunotherapy using current technology. New techniques are under investigation that may offer easier administration of vaccines in the future. To be effective, immunotherapy must be based on a good history and the patient must receive high doses of the allergens in the vaccine.

Because there is always a small risk that a person receiving high dose immunotherapy may have an allergic reaction to the vaccine, injections should always be given in a medical office under a doctor’s supervision.

People with minor allergies who easily respond to medication usually do not need allergy testing. Patients with severe symptoms or persistent symptoms more than three to four days per week and/or more than three to four months per year, or patients whose symptoms significantly impact their quality of life often benefit from evaluation and treatment of their allergies. Patients with chronic or recurring sinus or ear infections, and especially any patient with persistent asthma, can benefit from an allergy evaluation. There is also some evidence now that administration of immunotherapy to people with nasal allergies alone can significantly reduce the chances of later developing asthma.