SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio is one of the worst cities in America for those who suffer from allergies. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America ranked the Alamo City 22nd in the nation for those most affected by seasonal allergens.
With the city’s year-round warm weather, those who suffer from allergies can't seem to catch a break.
"You start with cedar around Christmastime, and then you work through spring trees, oak and pecan. And then you start with the grass season. Right now, people are suffering from ragweed," said Dr. Dale Wood, an allergy, asthma and rhinosinusitis specialist.
The worst part of the allergens is the onset of symptoms.
"Mostly with allergies, you’re going to get a drippy, runny nose and maybe some congestion and maybe watery eyes. (With) a cold, you have almost the same thing, except it’s a virus, and you may have a sore throat and a headache," Wood said.
Allergists said there are several things that people can do before leaving the house to alleviate the symptoms, such as taking an over-the-counter antihistamine or even an allergy nasal spray. For people who want something drug free, Wood said a sinus wash can work wonders.
If over-the-counter allergy medications don’t cut it, Wood said sufferers might need a different course of treatment, like longtime asthma and allergy patient Bo Williams, who has been getting Xolair shots for the last eight years.
"Ever since the shots in general, (I’ve had) hardly any symptoms with my allergic reactions and my asthma," Williams said.
Woods said people who think their allergies are flaring up and have taken over-the-counter allergy medications, but still are not seeing results, might have a sinus infection, and it’s best to get checked by a doctor.
Listed below are the different symptoms between a cold and allergies.
Colds:
- are a virus
- are contagious
- normally last 3-14 days
- symptoms take a few days to appear after infection
Allergies:
- caused by overactive immune system that's realeasing histamine
- aren't contagious
- can last days to months, depending on allergy trigger and your contact with it
- can happen any time of the year
- symptoms begin immediately after contact with allergy triggers
- fever and aches are NOT associated with allergies
Source: Texan Allergy