Health

Oh, the stuffy nose, watering eyes, itchy ears and scratchy throat. Southwest Florida may be a paradise for boaters, golfers and sun worshippers, but for allergy sufferers, it can be a nightmare. Unlike other regions of the country where allergies flare up once or twice a year, our tropical climate and abundance of pollen can trigger symptoms all year round.

"When my allergies flare up, it gets so miserable that I just don’t want to do anything. I’ve regularly had teary eyes, a persistent cough and a respiratory infection," says Fort Myers resident Renee Papa. "It’s been so bad at times I’ve had to be hospitalized. I never seem to have a time during the year when I’m not hacking and wheezing from an allergy to something in the environment."

Papa is one of the 54 percent of Americans who experience some sensitivity to allergens, according to research conducted by the National Institute of Health. And the number has doubled since the 1970s.

With so many sufferers to treat, specialists look beyond over-the-counter remedies and call on sophisticated tests and medications to bring some relief. Some patients have also turned to alternative treatments to ease their body’s reaction to allergens.

Papa found some success with over-the-counter medications when she lived in New York, where her allergies were mild, but when she moved to Southwest Florida, "the over-the-counter products like Sudafed just didn’t cut it," she says.

It was time to take it to the next level: the allergist.

"Today I think patients are more likely to recognize and take control of their symptoms. They realize they have more than just a runny nose and don’t want to let it compromise their lifestyle. So they seek out an allergist," says Dr. Brett Stanaland, a Naples-based allergy and asthma specialist.

The American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology reports that the demand for allergists is likely to rise over the next several years driven in part by the increasing prevalence of allergy and asthma-related conditions. "It’s all about our environment, though the tendency to have allergies is genetic," says Fort Myers allergist and immunology specialist Dr. Mark Greenberg. "If your parents are allergy sufferers, chances are you will be, too."

For these people, allergens trigger the body to produce antibodies to stave off any foreign substances. That’s good—to a point. Unfortunately, the immune system of sufferers overreacts to environmental elements, such as pollens. The state-of-the-art treatments that allergists/immunologists prescribe are individualized and vary with the type and severity of the allergy.

"Generally, we start with testing," Greenberg says. "That involves skin and blood tests to measure the levels of allergy antibodies. Then we do ‘use’ tests where suspected items are introduced while the patient is observed for a response. That gives us a basis to begin treatment, which might involve several medications, from antihistamines to nasal corticosteroid sprays to decongestants. The last resort is allergy shots. Regular injections are given only if the allergen can’t be avoided and the symptoms are hard to control."

It helps for allergy sufferers to remain indoors with their windows closed to limit the number of allergens that might enter their houses. But what about missing all the glorious weather?

"I live in Alva—in the country—and I want to enjoy the outdoors," declares allergy sufferer Myra Walters. "But there are times when I just have to stay inside because my nose will get so stuffy. Grass pollen season is especially a tough time of year."

One way to confront the allergy problem head-on is to monitor the pollen count. This type of information can help the sufferers determine when they can enjoy the outdoors and adjust their schedules accordingly.

But if the allergens occur in a continuous cycle in Florida, how realistic is it to remain indoors when the pollen count is high, which is most of the time? Some patients, like Papa, are on as many as four different medications, including Singulair at night, and Aerohist during the day—with Benadryl for emergencies. Nevertheless, the medications and shots don’t work for everybody.

Some allergy sufferers have turned to popular alternative treatments, such as herbs, homeopathy and acupuncture. "This ancient Eastern healing practice [acupuncture] advocates a holistic approach to each person’s internal pharmacy, rather than to try to control the allergy with drugs," says Leigh Reynolds, a practicing certified Fort Myers acupuncturist. "The
allergy isn’t the problem; it’s the patient’s reaction. Through the needle placement in acupuncture, I can reprogram the patient’s system."

This is not to say that acupuncture can’t be used with Western medicine. "Some of my patients like to combine acupuncture with drugs; they try to get the most out of both treatments. And sometimes the acupuncture will improve the patient’s health enough to reduce the amount of medication needed. That’s a good thing, in my opinion."

Even if there isn’t a cure for allergies, treatments continue to grow more sophisticated and aggressive to improve the allergy sufferer’s quality of life in Southwest Florida. "It took about six months to get my allergies under control," says Papa. "But it was worth it. I now have my life back."