When allergies attack

It's that time again -- the trees and roses are blooming, the butterflies are whizzing by, students are lying out in the quad and it just wouldn't be spring without a little love in the air.

On the downside, love isn't the only thing found in the air. In springtime, pollen also takes up a lot of the air space. Along with many other allergens and types of pollen, it's that time of year when the yearly allergy sufferers begin sneezing, coughing, scratching and crying.

With the rain gone and the sun declaring the sky as its permanent home for the next few months, everyone will be getting a little taste of dust and particulates in their mouths.

Pamela Knowles, nurse manager at the Hall Health Primary Care Center, said many allergies affect people all year round, but most occur during the spring. Not only is this because the trees and flowers are blooming, but there is a lot more dust in the air due to the lack of rain.

With this being one of the driest years in Washington's history, it's predicted that the number of allergy cases will be increasing dramatically.

"We have quite a few people coming in every quarter because of allergies, but it's during spring quarter that we get about one to two dozen allergy cases every week," said Knowles.

One of the major problems facing people with allergies is poor self-diagnosis.

"We get kids coming in here all the time saying they think they have a cold or perhaps the flu," said Knowles. "But then we tell them that they have allergies and they just don't believe it."

Some of the major noticeable symptoms of allergies are those caused by environmental allergies, such as runny and stuffy nose, coughing, runny and itchy eyes and sneezing, said Knowles.

Knowles mentioned that one of the biggest misconceptions about a cold is that a person sneezes when they have one. In actuality, if a student is sneezing, it is most likely due to allergies.

"Many of the kids that come to this University are either from different parts of the state or from another state and so they're not used to this sort of environment," said Knowles. "One thing to remember is that you're not born with allergies, you develop them."

With flu season coming to an end, Knowles predicts that there will be a large number of students visiting Hall Health through the first half of the quarter because they will either be bringing the flu, allergens or other germs back from spring break vacations.

"With more and more combinations of pollens and allergens, students are more liable to develop even more allergies," Knowles said. "With so many different types of allergy symptoms, the students need to learn how to treat each symptom differently."

Many students tend to take Sudafed in order to relive a runny nose when, instead, a student should take an antihistamine if they are having problems with a stuffy nose, according to Knowles.

"A very important thing that students should consider is what kind of medicine they are taking for their symptoms," said Knowles. "Antihistamines make a person very drowsy so it wouldn't be a very smart thing to take one in the morning right before a big test. Decongestants tend to give off a little buzz. They have the same effect that a couple cups of coffee would have, so it wouldn't be a good idea to take something like Sudafed right before bed."

Julie Bunger, a UW sophomore, has had her own experiences with allergies, especially during the spring.

"Well, along with allergies, I have hay fever so I have reactions to grass and pollen and flowers and all that," said Bunger. "So when everything is blooming, and the grass is being cut, my allergies just begin burstifying."

For allergy relief, there are many over-the-counter medications to consider, and there are now even prescription drugs available as over-the-counter drugs. Knowles suggests that, if a student's allergies are severe, the advice of a doctor should be sought as soon as possible.

"There isn't a lot I can do if I have a super bad case of allergies," said Bunger. "I sneeze a lot and my eyes water and my sinuses start freaking out and I basically just have to deal with it, I guess. If I'm in my room, I'll close my window to try and fight against the evil allergens."

For allergy sufferers, Hall Health is available as a resource. There is no reason for those with allergies to miss out on the spring season.

"There are many practical things a student can do to relieve the effect of allergies, such as drinking fluids," said Knowles. "It's very important that a person with allergies drink about three to four quarts of decaffeinated fluid per day to flush everything out. Also, some saline nasal spray could help ease a stuffy nose."

Hall Health is open every weekday and physicians can provide advice on what a student's symptoms may be and what he or she should do about them at no charge.