Airborne Allergies & Allergic Rhinitis

Allergens can be any substance (usually a protein) that can elicit an IgE-mediated response causing allergic symptoms including allergic rhinitis. From a clinical perspective, airborne allergens can be classified as perennial or seasonal.

Seasonal allergies are an allergic reaction that will typically follow a predictable pattern based on the growing season: spring or fall.

This type of allergy refers to a pollen allergy, such as trees, weeds and grasses.

Perennial allergies, on the other hand, are usually present year-round, and include allergens such as pet dander and house dust mite. Molds can be a seasonal or perennial allergy trigger.

The allergic response is best characterized as a specific inflammatory response of the immune system against environmental agents that contact the skin or mucosa. The primary immune cells involved in allergic responses are IgE antibodies. When exposed to an allergen, these immune cells trigger an immediate inflammatory response which presents as sneezing, watery, itchy and red eyes, rhinitis or runny nose, nasal congestion, chronic sinus congestion and asthmatic symptoms.

Treatment for airborne or seasonal allergies ranges from natural remedies, to over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants to prescription allergy medication to immunotherapy or allergy shots. At Ocean Pacific Integrative Health Center, we offer an alternative desensitization program to the allergy shots, the Sublingual Immunotherapy.