Key Q&A

Acupuncture Allergies Alzheimer's Disease Androgen Anxiety Disorders Asthma Atherosclerosis Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Bacterial Vaginosis Biofeedback Bipolar Disorder Birth Control Pills Blood Donation and Transfusion Breast Augmentation and Reduction Breast Cancer Breastfeeding Breast Reconstruction Caregiving Cervical Cancer Chiropractic Chlamydia Cholesterol Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Clinical Trials Colon Cancer Contraception Depression Diabetes Dry Eye Syndrome Eating Disorders Endometriosis Epilepsy Estrogen Fibroids Fibromyalgia Fitness Flu/Colds Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Genetic Testing Genital Herpes Glaucoma Gonorrhea Health Insurance Heart Disease Hepatitis High Blood Pressure HIV/AIDS Homeopathy Human Papillomavirus Hypnosis Hysterectomy Incontinence Infertility Irritable Bowel Syndrome Legal Health Tools Liposuction Lung Cancer Lupus Macular Degeneration Medication Safety Menopause Menstrual Disorders Metabolic Syndrome Migraine Multiple Sclerosis Naturopathy Nonsurgical Aesthetic Procedures Nutrition Obesity Ocular Allergies Oral Health Osteoarthritis Osteopathic Medicine Osteoporosis Ovarian Cancer Overactive Bladder Pain Management Pelvic Organ Prolapse Pelvic Pain Peripheral Arterial Disease Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Pregnancy Premenstrual Syndrome Preparing for Surgery Progesterone Rheumatoid Arthritis Schizophrenia Scleroderma Sexual Dysfunction Sinusitis Sjogren's Syndrome Skin Cancer Skin Health Sleep Disorders Smoking Stress Stroke Substance Abuse Tai Chi Teen Health Thyroid Disorders Trichomoniasis Urinary Tract Conditions Urinary Tract Infection Uterine Cancer Varicose Veins Violence Against Women Vulvodynia Weight Management Yeast Infections Yoga

1. How can I tell if I have a cold or seasonal allergies?

   First, a seasonal allergy occurs only during a particular time of the year. The pollen trigger is released at a time point that's associated with the length of daylight. A cold should subside in about two weeks; seasonal allergy symptoms will continue until the pollen season is over.

2. Are people born with allergies or can they develop them later in life?

   The answer is yes to both questions. Some people are born with a genetic predisposition to allergies, but that allergy gene may not be "turned on" until later in adulthood.

3. Can allergies be cured?

   No, they can't. But depending on what you are allergic to, you can often find relief from avoiding the allergen, taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, or getting allergy shots.

4. Do children outgrow their allergies?

   Children who are allergic to peanuts generally remain allergic throughout their lives. However, they often do outgrow allergies to milk, eggs and soy.

5. Should I move to a different part of the country to help alleviate my seasonal allergies?

   No. People who are allergic to pollen are often sensitive to other substances. Moving may relieve symptoms of one allergy, only to stimulate a reaction to another allergen, so moving is generally not recommended.

6. I keep my house spic and span; could I still have dust mites?

   Yes, even the cleanest homes still have dust mites. They can be minimized by removing things that trap dust, like blinds, wall-to-wall carpeting, and upholstered furniture.

7. Can I continue taking allergy medications during pregnancy and breast-feeding?

   While this is between you and your health care professional and should be thoroughly discussed with him or her, preferably prior to getting pregnant. Generally, during the first trimester, when your baby's organs and tissues are being formed, health care professionals worry about the potential effects of medications. However, after the first trimester, most medications that you might consider giving to a young child should be safe for the mother to take. Generally this includes topical nasal steroids, such as budesonide (Rhinocort AQ) and some antihistamines such as loratadine and cetirizine. In addition, decongestants like pseudoephedrine are generally considered safe during the second and third trimesters. Careful use of decongestant nasal sprays should also be fine. This advice also holds true during the breast-feeding period. Watch out, however, for traditional sedating antihistamines that can cause drowsiness in the baby.

8. Is it okay to continue allergy shots if I'm pregnant?

   Maintenance doses of shots should be safe during pregnancy. Because the injections contain your allergy triggers, the most likely time to experience a reaction is during the initial build-up period, when you first start allergy shots. A severe allergic reaction in a pregnant woman could affect the well being of the developing baby, so it's probably not a good idea to start the immunotherapy and build the dose up during pregnancy.