It’s the time of year when “bless you” rings out all over town. No, it’s not Christmas — it’s allergy season.

“This is a really busy time for us,” said Dr. Frank Hample of Central Texas Allergy and Asthma Clinic in New Braunfels. “Everyone is seeing a lot of people with allergies at this time of year.”

Hample said many Comal County residents are suffering through mountain cedar season, which usually lasts from December until February or March. This year’s mild weather, however, brought cedar in November.

“Mountain cedar is the most prevalent allergen in this area,” Hample said. “Our next allergy season is oak pollen, which will start around March.”

Christin Brennan of New Braunfels said she didn’t realize until recently that her constant headaches were caused by cedar allergies.

“I get a really pounding headache you can feel throbbing behind your eyes,” she said. “I didn’t know what was wrong with me for the longest time.”

Hample said up to 25 percent of people suffer from some kind of allergies.

Though allergies are common, patients frequently confuse allergy symptoms with symptoms of a cold. Many of the symptoms, such as a headache or runny nose, are the same. However, there are some subtle differences that help patients tell the two ailments apart.

“Only allergies cause itching,” he said. “With a cold, you may get a sore throat, which isn’t caused by allergies.”

According to the Mayo Clinic Web site, hay fever — an allergic reaction to something in the environment — is the most common type of allergy. People also may suffer from food allergies or reactions to cosmetics or household items.

Hay fever is often caused by pollens released by trees, grasses or weeds. Year-round hay fever might be caused by indoor allergens, such as dust mites, mold or pet dander.

Hample said most allergies will not cause death or serious illness, but the symptoms do disrupt a normal life.

“It has a lot of effect on the quality of life,” he said. “Allergies also open the door to secondary infections, which usually occur in the sinuses or ears.”

Brennan said she is going to try an over -the-counter treatment and see if her headaches improve.

“My aunt told me that Sudafed is really good for clearing the sinuses,” she said. “The pharmacist also said it would help tremendously.”

Treatment for hay fever includes prescription and over-the-counter medications, nasal sprays and allergy shots.

Hample said the history of an allergy, as well as the symptoms and patient history, are a vital part of battling allergies. After diagnosis, he usually lets his patients choose the treatment they prefer.

“Usually I’ll start them on medication, and if they don’t improve we’ll try shots,” he said. “Some people are so miserable they just want to get a shot and get it over with.”
 

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