Allergies Archive

Eliminating gluten from your diet is the treatment for both conditions, but make sure you have a clear diagnosis.

Find relief with antihistamines, steroid sprays, decongestants, or shots.

Ragweed pollen and mold spores are common causes of allergies during the fall months. Breathing them into the lungs may cause the body to overreact, leading to classic allergy symptoms of a runny nose, watery eyes, and sneezing.

Taking an ACE inhibitor? Tell your doctor if you notice any swelling of your lips or tongue.

In the world of cardiovascular drugs, ACE inhibitors are all-stars. These blood vessel-widening drugs lower blood pressure, ease the workload of an ailing heart, and ward off kidney disease in people with diabetes. Examples include captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), and lisinopril (Prinivil).

Learn how to tell the difference, and what to do if you're reacting to wheat, milk, or other foods.

Walk down the aisles of your local supermarket, and you'll see something you likely wouldn't have encountered a decade ago—shelves devoted entirely to gluten-free cereals, breads, muffins, and other foods. Restaurants have also jumped onto the bandwagon, revising their menus to include dishes without gluten, a protein found in wheat.

The gluten-free diet was designed for people with celiac disease, who can't tolerate any foods containing gluten because their immune system reacts to it and damages the small intestine in response. Celiac disease is a very real, very uncomfortable, and potentially very serious condition. If left untreated, it can lead to anemia, osteoporosis, and intestinal cancers.

Q. Is it possible to develop allergies later in life? I have started to notice a constant runny nose. I don't think I have been exposed to anything new.

A. It is possible to develop an allergy later in life, but a constant runny nose that is not associated with itchy eyes and sneezing is more likely due to something called nonallergic rhinitis. For reasons we don't fully understand, aging can bring changes in the lining of the nose and the response of its mucus-secreting glands to temperature, foods, and certain other stimuli. The result is constant dripping of a clear fluid.

The machines can help when it's hard to breathe.

These simple steps can save you from itchy, oozing rashes.

You probably learned about the risks of poison ivy a long time ago, but as you spend more time in the garden this spring, you should know that many plants can cause rash. So it's important to learn which are the common offenders and how to take precautions against them. "For some people, one exposure to a plant is all it takes to become allergic to it," says dermatologist Dr. Kenneth Arndt, a Harvard Medical School professor.

How to arm yourself better to breathe easier.

Spring allergy seasons continue to start earlier each year (it was February in 2012), and pollen counts continue to go up. It's not a fluke; scientists say the effects of climate change are making allergy seasons worse. Research presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in November 2012 suggests that by 2040, pollen counts are expected to double. "I do think that the allergy seasons seem to be longer. When winter is shorter and less severe, it means there will be pollens and molds present for a longer period of time," says Dr. Stacey Gray, an allergy expert at the Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

The offenders

Grass, weeds, and trees release tiny pollens into the air each spring, summer and fall. Inhaling these pollens can trigger a reaction of the immune system. It's known as hay fever. Symptoms vary, but commonly include a runny nose, sneezing, itching, and burning or watery eyes. If you have asthma or chronic obstructive lung disease, pollen can increase your risk for flareups. Other floating pollutants in the air can cause allergic reactions as well, such as mold spores and dust mite droppings, although mites aren't a seasonal problem, and mold can be a year-round problem in warm climates.