Resources for Medical Professionals
Learn more about common allergic diseases, symptoms, management paradigms, and testing considerations.
Is your patient a candidate for specific IgE testing?
Get detailed information on whole allergens and allergen components.
Ready to test a patient?
Access videos and webinars delivered by key experts in the field of allergy.
Resources for Medical Professionals
Learn more about common allergic diseases, symptoms, management paradigms, and testing considerations.
Is your patient a candidate for specific IgE testing?
Get detailed information on whole allergens and allergen components.
Ready to test a patient?
Access videos and webinars delivered by key experts in the field of allergy.
Five Spring Allergy Myths and What They Mean for You
Feb. 22, 2022 | Rebecca Rosenberger MMSc, PA-C
Rebecca Rosenberger is the Associate Director of U.S. Clinical Affairs & Education in the Immunodiagnostics Division at Thermo Fisher Scientific and a physician assistant specializing in allergy & immunology.
When spring arrives, so does outdoor pollen. The flowers bloom, the frost melts, and seasonal allergies make their despicable return. Looking out the window to the trees, weeds, and grasses—all while having itchy eyes and a runny nose—you might be tempted to simply curse pollen for those irritating symptoms and resign yourself to an increased tissue and antihistamine budget. However, it’s often not just spring pollen that’s causing that itchy throat and sneezing. In fact, up to 90 percent of people with allergies are allergic to multiple allergens.1
So guess what? It could actually be any number of allergens, from dust mites to pet dander, combining to trigger your symptoms. While you might assume it’s pollen that’s causing you pain, allergies just aren’t that simple.
But you must know that since you are here looking for answers. And boy do we have them for you.
Join us as we break down five common seasonal allergy myths.
1. Spring allergies are only caused by pollen.
While it’s true that there’s an increase in pollen during spring, summer, and even into early fall, it’s wrong to assume that pollen is the only allergic trigger, pop an antihistamine, and call it a day. Not only are you playing a guessing game with your body, but also you might be trying to treat symptoms without knowing what is causing them. That’s a no-no.
“But Allergy Insider, my allergy symptoms always act up during the spring, and Instagram influencers also complain about their spring allergies, so that MUST be what it is.” Maybe. Maybe not. Consider this: When you encounter multiple substances you’re allergic to at the same time, they can add up, and that’s when you’ll start experiencing symptoms.2,3 This is called the symptom threshold.
Think about your symptom threshold like the rim of an empty cup, and the different substances you’re allergic to as liquids. A splash of pollen, a shot of pet dander, a scoop of dust mites, and the next thing you know, your cup is overflowing and your face is exploding. But, if you can modify this cursed cocktail by reducing exposure to one or two of those allergens, your cup might not overflow, which may mean no itchy eyes, no sneezing, and no repeated trips to the store for more antihistamines.
Obviously, we can’t control nature (looking at you, Mr. Freeze). But there’s a lot we can do to reduce exposure to sneaky indoor allergens that are just as capable of causing the sniffles.
2. You can only be allergic to one thing at a time.
Reducing exposure to one or two allergens that you can control (such as pet dander or dust mites) could keep you below your threshold, even when spring pollen is in the air.
Examples of indoor allergens to which you can help control exposure:
3. Only allergic triggers cause symptoms.
It’s not just allergens that can cause allergy symptoms such as itchy eyes, a runny nose, or sneezing. Non-allergic triggers can also produce allergy-like symptoms. Using a new cleaning product or being around cigarette smoke are a couple of examples of non-allergic triggers. Note that non-allergic triggers don’t biologically work the same way as allergic triggers, so antihistamines won’t help with relief. Additional examples include:
- Cigarette smoke
- Air pollution
- Cleaning supplies
- Perfumes and colognes
- Outdoor dust (e.g. dust storms)
4. It’s impossible to know exactly what you’re allergic to.
One of the most important actions you can take when, or even before, your allergy symptoms start acting up is to get an allergy test. Testing will help your healthcare provider pinpoint your exact allergic sensitizations. You’ll know precisely what is causing an allergic reaction and the steps to take to reduce or avoid exposure to them. And guess what? Reducing exposure to those triggers can also help you manage symptoms—or even avoid them altogether. Win-win.
While you can’t get an allergy test to determine those non-allergic triggers we talked about, you can use the process of elimination based on your test results. If your test results come back negative, and yet allergy-like symptoms persist, take a look at your environment and do what you can to avoid potential non-allergic culprits.
5. Suffering through allergy season is the only option
We just told you some really cool facts about pollen, indoor allergies, and non-allergic triggers and what do to about them. The rest is up to you. Impress your friends, educate your healthcare provider, and walk around with your runny nose held high.
Oh, and get tested already. Ask your primary care provider about allergy blood testing or click on Get Tested below to start tracking your symptoms.
Tools for Understanding Allergies
Track allergy symptoms and prepare for a visit with a healthcare provider.
Learn about specific allergens, including common symptoms, management, and relief.
Are you a healthcare provider? Get comprehensive information on hundreds of whole allergens and allergen components.
- Ciprandi G, Alesina R, Ariano R, et al. Characteristics of patients with allergic polysensitization; the polismail study. Eur Ann Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008;40 (3);77-83.
- Wickman M. When allergies complicate allergies. Allergy. 2005;60 (Suppl 79):14–18.
- Burbach GJ, et al. GA2 LEN skin test study II: clinical relevance of inhalant allergen sensitizations in Europe. Allergy. 2009;64:1507-15.
Thank you for visiting Allergy Insider
Before you go, we'd appreciate your feedback to help us better understand your needs and improve our services.
Create a summary of your allergy symptoms in a downloadable document
Share the summary with your healthcare provider for a productive conversation about allergy blood testing
Gain an optimized diagnosis and a personalized treatment plan
Allergy Symptom Questionnaire
Allergies affect us all differently. This questionnaire will summarize your specific allergy symptoms to share with your healthcare provider and learn more about your testing options.
- Create a summary of your allergy symptoms in a downloadable document
- Share the summary with your healthcare provider for a productive conversation about allergy blood testing
- Gain an optimized diagnosis and a personalized treatment plan
|
Create a summary of your allergy symptoms in a downloadable document |
Create a summary of your allergy symptoms in a downloadable document
|
Share the summary with your healthcare provider for a productive conversation about allergy blood testing |
Share the summary with your healthcare provider for a productive conversation about allergy blood testing
|
Gain an optimized diagnosis and a personalized treatment plan |
Gain an optimized diagnosis and a personalized treatment plan
Purchase the same tests your doctor orders and get insights into your health. Our convenient allergy tests can measure your immune response to common allergies found in the air, in foods and with pets.
Buy your own allergy tests online, anytime. Test for 15 common food allergens and up to 25 common indoor and outdoor respiratory allergens. The same quality lab tests doctors use and recommend, but no doctor visit required for purchase.
Get quality care on your schedule. Our board-certified providers can perform an exam, evaluate your symptoms, and test you for allergies to create a personalized treatment plan.
You are now leaving thermofisher.com and going to a site owned and operated by an independent third party. Thermo Fisher Scientific is not responsible or liable for any content or services of any independent third-party site. Thermo Fisher Scientific does not represent independent third parties or the customer if the two enter into a transaction. Privacy and security policies on these sites may differ from those practiced by thermofisher.com. We encourage you to review the policies and terms of all websites you may choose to visit.
You are now leaving thermofisher.com, and going to ondemand.labcorp.com, owned and operated by an independent third party. Thermo Fisher Scientific is not responsible or liable for any content or services of ondemand.labcorp.com. Thermo Fisher Scientific does not represent either Labcorp OnDemand or the customer if the two enter into a transaction. Privacy and security policies of ondemand.labcorp.com may differ from those practiced by thermofisher.com. We encourage you to review the policies and terms of all websites you may choose to visit.
WE’RE HERE TO HELP
Stop wondering, start testing
Get science-backed answers to your allergy questions. Test your body’s immune response to indoor and outdoor allergens like dust and pollen, dog and cat dander and saliva, or to common food allergy triggers including lactose, shellfish and nuts.
- Purchase your test at ondemand.labcorp.com using a credit card or FSA/HSA
- Schedule an appointment at one of our 2,000+ locations to collect your sample
- Get your results quickly online in 2-4 days
VISIT QUESTHEALTH.COM
Health insights you can act on
Get insights about your health, when you want them. Test for 15 common food allergens and up to 25 common indoor and outdoor respiratory allergens. You will have the option to discuss your results with an independent physician at no extra cost.
- Visit questhealth.com to purchase your allergy test, no doctor visit required
- Schedule your appointment at a Quest location near you
- Access your results from your phone as soon as they are available
You are now leaving thermofisher.com and going to questdiagnostics.com owned and operated by an independent third party. Thermo Fisher Scientific is not responsible or liable for the content or services of questdiagnostics.com. Thermo Fisher Scientific does not represent either Quest Diagnostics or the customer if the two enter into a transaction. Privacy and security policies of questdiagnostics.com may differ from those practiced by thermofisher.com. We encourage you to review the policies and terms of all websites you may choose to visit.
MINUTECLINIC AT CVS
We’re here when you need us
High quality and affordable health care is available on your schedule. Our board-certified providers can perform an exam, evaluate your symptoms, and test you for allergies to create a personalized treatment plan.
Appointments available in-person and virtually 7 days a week, including evenings
- Schedule online, in-person or in the CVS Pharmacy App
- Affordable out of pocket costs
- Most insurance plans accepted
You are now leaving thermofisher.com, and going to cvs.com/minuteclinic, owned and operated by an independent third party. Thermo Fisher Scientific is not responsible or liable for the content or services of cvs.com/minuteclinic. Thermo Fisher Scientific does not represent either MinuteClinic at CVS or the customer if the two enter into a transaction. Privacy and security policies of cvs.com/minuteclinic may differ from those practiced by thermofisher.com. We encourage you to review the policies and terms of all websites you may choose to visit.