Special Report

Air Date: Wednesday, April 17, 2002

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Suddenly Allergic

Sniffling, sneezing, itchy, irritated? It could be more than a cold! For the first time this season you could be suffering from allergies. Why more adults are finding themselves suddenly allergic.

Sheila Dillon, of the North End, lucked out.

Sheila Dillon, North End
"I never had any problem with allergies, that I know of."

That is, until her 26th birthday.

I have cream, for hives, more nose spray, prescriptions, more over the counter stuff. I'm a walking pharmacy.

Sheila, like many unsuspecting adults, suddenly became allergic.

Sheila Dillon
"I didn't have any allergies before that, so i didn't have any reason to think that i would suddenly become allergic to my surroundings."

Now, at 30 years old, Sheila has list of things to avoid.

Sheila Dillon
"Four different kinds of grass, almost every tree when it's in bloom, mold, dogs, cats. My doctor told me that the only time I'm not going to be having allergy symptoms is when the ground is snow covered and there's a full frost."

Dr. Aidan Long, Clinical Director of Allergy at Mass General Hospital says not to assume we're out of the woods if we've never had symptoms before.

Dr. Aidan Long, Clinical Director of Allergy, Massachusetts General Hospital
"It's not at all unusual for us here to see people coming for the first time in their 40's and 50's and 60's with classical hay fever symptoms."

Talbert Hastings, Chestnut Hill
"I never thought it happened. I mean, I figured if you had them it would occur when you were a child."

John Doherty, Boston
"I've been sneezing and I'm sure it's just not a cold."

Between the nasal congestion, runny nose and sneezing, how do you distinguish a cold from allergies? Experts say, it comes down to one symptom.

Dr. Aidan Long
"Itching. If you have an itchy nose or itchy eyes, it's unlikely to be a cold or a virus."

Sheila Dillon
"It definitely feels different. It feels more like a scratching, itching and it gets to the point sometimes where it just knocks you out. There are some mornings where I definitely feel like I can't even get out of bed."

So what are your chances of becoming allergic? Two requirements come into play:

Dr. Aidan Long
"You have to choose your parents carefully. You have to inherit the right genes."

Number one: genetic predisposition. Number two: enough exposure to the allergen to get symptoms.

Dr. Aidan Long
"The combination of having the right genes and enough exposure determines when it shows up, and it seems to be different for different people."

As we head into what's expected to be this year's most intense allergy season, here are some recommendations for the seasonally sensitive.

• Avoid outside exercise between 5 and 10am when the pollen count tends to be highest.
• Close bedroom and car windows, and have fans set to blow air out, rather than in.
• Set air conditioners to re-circulate the inside air rather than to pull in the pollen.
• In extreme cases, dry your clothes indoors, rather than outside on a line.
• If you spend a lot of time outdoors, change and shower when you come in, to avoid continued exposure.
• And lastly, see an allergist...

Dr. Aidan Long
"People who haven't been allergic tend not to believe that they can become allergic, so they tend to suffer for a long time without ever getting it checked out. Allergies can show up at any time. We can see people in their seventies who for the first time appear to have developed hay fever."

Something to consider, if that cold sticks around, just a little too long.

For more information about allergies and allergy testing log onto:

For your own personal allergy profile log onto: http://www.allergylearninglab.com/resources/pap/pap.html?mc=576460757340792702

To reach the Massachusetts General Hospital Physician Referral Service:

http://neurosurgery.mgh.harvard.edu/mghrefer.htm or call (617) 726-5800