For many this time of year, the joy of shorts-and-sandals weather is often accompanied by the misery of seasonal allergies.
Allergies occur when the body perceives something that is not really a threat -- an allergen -- as a threat and mounts a defense against it, Julia Lundy, a physician assistant at University Health Services, said.
Part of the body's response to this perceived threat involves releasing histamines into the body. This produces itchy, watery eyes and scratchy throat, some of the symptoms people associate with allergies, she said.
Over-the-counter medicines such as Benadryl work to relieve these symptoms by targeting the release of histamines, she said.
The effectiveness of over-the-counter medicines varies with the seriousness of the allergy, she said. People for whom over-the-counter medicines are not effective could instead try prescription medicines.
Emily Hohlfeld (sophomore-biology) said she takes Allegra, a prescription allergy medicine.
"There definitely aren't any drawbacks that I've noticed," she said.
She added she had not been taking Allegra for very long, but her father had taken it for several years after trying several different medications, and was very satisfied with it.
Some, however, worry about taking prescription medicines for symptoms that are, though uncomfortable, not life-threatening.
Sabina Ptasznik (freshman-theatre) said she used to take a prescription medicine for her allergies when she lived in California, but does not any longer.
"I'd rather just have allergies as long as I'm not dying," she said.
She said the medicine made her drowsy, and that she had friends who had similar or more serious problems with prescription allergy medications.
People can distinguish allergies from colds or other infections that might produce similar symptoms because allergic reactions exhibit patterns of occurrence, Lundy said. Though the symptoms for a cold and an allergic reaction might be similar, allergies will pop up repeatedly at certain times of the year or around certain allergens.
In the spring, the prevalence of pollen and dust in the air triggers many peoples' allergies. Lundy said she sees a lot of people who have problems with allergies.
"This is the time of year for it," she said.
Allergies are also quite common in the fall, she said.
In fact, in this region, they are often more severe in the fall than the spring, she said. The harvesting of crops can aggravate allergies.
