When the winter months roll in, most people attribute sniffing, sneezing, and coughing to the common cold. After all, the winter means we get a break from allergies, right? While the cold months give you relief from the allergens outside, the allergens inside could be eliciting the same response you have during the spring. More time spent inside means an increased exposure to common household allergens like mold, dust, and pet dander.
Fight Food Allergies this Party Season
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The office is full of fun holiday food, the party invitations are flowing in, and sweet temptations seem to be found around every corner. For most people, the holiday season offers up opportunities to indulge a little and try some new foods and desserts. However, navigating this time of year can be tricky for adults and children with food allergies.
Steer Clear of Food Allergens this Halloween
Approximately one in every thirteen children is currently living with some type of food allergy. Managing a food allergy can be quite frustrating for a child and his or her caregivers, especially during holidays. With Halloween around the corner, kids have more exposure than normal to foods and candy that can trigger an allergic reaction. Milk, eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts are the most common allergens for kids, and peanuts and tree nuts cause the most severe reactions. Unfortunately, these ingredients are often found in the sweets that are handed out during trick or treating. Follow the below tips for receiving and handing out candy this Halloween.
Keep Your Home Allergy Free this Fall
With fall on the horizon, most New Englanders are anticipating cooler weather, football season, and foliage. However, seasonal allergy sufferers may be less than enthusiastic about the coming change in seasons and temperature. Fall allergens, such as ragweed, mold spores, and dust, affect approximately thirty-five million Americans and can persist until the first frost. In addition to taking allergy medication and consulting a doctor, there are ways to protect your home against these allergens in an attempt to make it more comfortable during the fall season.
Grass Allergy
Protect Yourself Against Bee Stings
Those that have an allergy to bee stings may not feel as prepared to protect themselves as the warm weather arrives. For most people, a bee sting causes some redness and/or swelling and just a few hours of pain. Those with an allergy to bee stings can experience much more intense and, sometimes, life-threatening symptoms.
The 8 Most Common Food Allergies
Did you know that nearly fifteen million American adults and children suffer from some type of food allergy? Food allergy symptoms can range from mild to moderate to severe and include vomiting, cramping, hives, swelling, trouble swallowing, and anaphylaxis. And, even though all foods can potentially cause an allergic reaction, there are eight foods that most commonly do so.
Fight Holiday Allergies
Some people may assume that they won’t have to contend with allergies once the fall has left us. But, with the holiday season upon us, it is possible that your allergies and asthma may return with a vengeance. Sneezing and congestion may arrive around this time and can put quite a damper on your holiday cheer!
How to Manage Your Food Allergy
Approximately fifteen million Americans, including one in every 13 children, are living with some type of food allergy. Food allergies can be life-threatening and should not be taken lightly. This has become more apparent in recent years and, if you have school-aged children, you’ve likely been warned more than once not to send peanut products or special birthday treats into school. The most common food allergens are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish.
Is Your Child Suffering from Chronic Ear Infections?
Did you know that we here at Plymouth Ear, Nose and Throat have over thirty years of experience dealing with pediatric otolaryngology problems? Ear infections that have become recurrent, or even chronic, is one of those pediatric issues that we tackle on a regular basis. Although some may be more prone to ear infections than others, it is important to be educated about the facts of ear infections, what causes them, and what can be done to help ease and avoid them.
Six Ways to Ward off Fall Allergies
Fall is quickly approaching and with the changing of seasons comes an increase in ragweed. Ragweed plants release millions of grains of pollen making it a major culprit in seasonal allergies. Its growth peaks in mid-September so now is the time to start planning your attack against those pesky allergy symptoms.
Plymouth ENT to Add Food Testing to Allergy Program
Plymouth Ear, Nose and Throat is excited to announce that, in addition to diagnosing and treating seasonal and perennial allergies, we will be adding food testing to our allergy program! Our doctors and nurses are looking forward to expanding our allergy program and welcoming new patients that might be suffering from food allergies. Let’s chat a bit more about the specifics of food allergies, their symptoms and how we can help to diagnose and manage them.
Ragweed Season and How to Manage your Allergy
The cooler weather is upon us, the leaves are changing color, and pumpkins are adorning our front steps. Fall is a time of year that many people look forward to after a hot, sticky summer. However, if you’re one of the estimated 26 percent of Americans who suffer from allergies to ragweed, you may not be so psyched about Autumn knocking on your door.
How You Can Beat Spring Allergies
At last, winter is behind us and the warm weather is on the way! However, the higher temperatures aren’t entirely cause for celebration. For some people, spring brings the worst allergy season of the whole year. In some cases, these allergies can start as early as late February and last until the end of June. In order to be equipped for the months ahead, here are some best practices to effectively cope with your seasonal allergies.
Is it a Cold or an Allergy?
As the temperature drops and the snow starts to fall, you’ll hear lots of people around you start sniffling and sneezing--it may even be you! While colds and allergies have different symptoms, it’s so important to know the difference so you can seek proper treatment. It’s sometimes a tough call to figure out where that coughing and sneezing is coming from, but how long your symptoms last can be indicative of what is ailing you.
How to Manage Ragweed Symptoms
The start of fall usually promises more comfortable sleeping weather. Unfortunately for many of us, the combination of cool nights and warm days also brings out the ragweed, fall’s most prominent allergy trigger. Since nearly 1 in 5 of us are affected, we thought we’d share with you some facts about ragweed and strategies for managing symptoms.
Allergies and Gardening Help Guide
Do you love the thought of gardening but don’t dare to because of seasonal allergies? Believe it or not, there are ways to manage allergy symptoms and still spend quality, comfortable time digging in the dirt! It all comes down to being prepared, and knowing which plants to choose and which to avoid.
Top Tips to Arm Yourself Against Spring Allergies
After such a brutal winter with so much precipitation, this spring promises to bring a challenging allergy season to the South Shore. Regardless, we will tell our patients what we tell them every year: the first step in allergy treatment is avoidance, and avoidance is attainable no matter how tough the environment. With a little planning and practice, there are simple and doable steps anyone can take to minimize their exposure to seasonal allergens.