Litchfield Hills Today

• People who have spring allergies might start feeling their symptoms kicking in as trees have begun to pollinate.
• Symptoms can include sneezing, itchy eyes, coughing, congestion and fatigue.
• People who need to undergo allergy testing or treatment have several options.

CT ENT Sinus Center is offering allergy sufferers a way to obtain the benefits of allergy shots without injections, while avoiding the hassle of frequent office visits and the discomfort associated with shots.

The treatment is a form of immunotherapy known as “sublingual therapy,” which has gained popularity over the last few decades and involves self-administered allergy drops.

“You put in a drop of all the things you're allergic to under your tongue,” Dr. Robert Weiss of CT ENT Sinus Center told Litchfield Hills Today. “You don't have to have an injection. You do this at home; you do it by yourself. You don't have to be at a medical practice to do it, and it's just as effective as the shots. A lot of our patients will do that, and we've seen some very, very good results from using the drops.”

People who suffer from spring allergies might feel their symptoms starting to kick in during February or March, when trees begin to pollinate, according to Blanchard Valley Health. As wind spreads the pollen through the air, it can come into contact with skin, eyes, noses and mouths and set off allergy symptoms.

Spring allergy sufferers may be allergic to the pollen of specific trees, such as birch, sycamore, oak or walnut. These types of pollen have different features, which makes it tricky to develop a single allergy treatment to address them. Fortunately, allergists are able to test for allergies to the various types of pollen and develop unique treatments for allergy sufferers.

The 50 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies might experience sneezing, coughing, congestion, itchy eyes, a runny nose and fatigue, according to Yale Medicine. People who need to undergo testing for allergies typically have two options, a skin test or blood test.

The skin test entails a doctor inserting a tiny amount of potential allergens under the skin of the patient's upper arm, with the skin becoming red and swollen if the patient has an allergy. Patients typically have their results within one to two days. The blood test consists of drawing the patient's blood and testing for allergens in a lab. Although this testing method takes longer to produce results, it allows doctors to test for more allergens than a skin test.

To minimize spring allergy symptoms, Mayo Clinic recommends staying indoors on dry, windy days when pollen is more likely to spread. Allergy sufferers are advised to shower after they are outside to remove any pollen from their skin. Checking the pollen count on a local news station or online can help people with allergies plan for when it is best to stay indoors and keep windows shut.

Allergy sufferers can also look for an over-the-counter remedy, such as oral decongestants, antihistamines or nasal sprays. If those solutions don't ease the allergy symptoms, alternative treatments -- such as allergy shots or immunotherapy -- could provide relief.

If you’re interested in learning more about the symptoms of sinusitis and allergies, please take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.