INDOOR ALLERGENS

Seasonal allergic rhinitis can be caused by indoor allergens and manifests:

• nasal congestion
• runny nose
• watering of the eyes
• sneezing
• postnasal drip. 

Allergic reaction to indoor allergens can also cause conjunctivitis, an inflammation of the lining membranes of the eyes. Symptoms of this condition include red, watery, and itching eyes.

Allergic symptoms involving the skin include eczema, or allergic dermatitis, characterized by a skin rash associated with itching. This usually results from direct contact with the allergen.

DIAGNOSIS

To diagnose if someone is allergic to common indoor allergens, skin tests and antibody tests may be used.

• Skin Testing– Using the scratch or skin prick method involves placing a small amount of the test substance onto the skin, then pricking or scratching the skin so that the allergen enters the skin. An allergic reaction typically takes place within 15 to 20 minutes.
• Intradermal Skin Test is another type of skin test that generally shows an immediate reaction.
• Patch skin test- test substances are taped to the skin for 48 hours, and the area is then observed for signs of an allergic reaction.
• Antibody/ Allergy Blood Test- This tests look for specific antibodies. Both the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA, or EIA) and the radioallergosorbent test (RAST) are tests to identify allergen-specific antibodies in a blood sample

TREATMENT

Avoidance of identified indoor allergens can be very effective in controlling allergy symptoms.

If such avoidance is not possible or incomplete you may get the following as treatment:

• Antihistamines are a common treatment for reactions to indoor allergens. These are medications that fight the effects of the histamine released during an allergic reaction by blocking the action of the histamine on the tissue.
  • first-generation antihistamines include diphenhydramine (Benadryl), chlorpheniramine (Chlortrimaton), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), brompheniramine (Dimetapp and others), clemastine fumarate (Tavist, Allerhist), and dexbrompheniramine (Drixoral)
  • second-generation antihistamines include loratadine (Claritin), fexofenadine (Allegra), and Azelastine (Astelin Nasal Spray)

• Decongestants are drugs that reduce swelling in the nasal passages. These drugs can reduce allergy symptoms, but they do not treat allergic reactions.
• Prescription medications, including corticosteroids, cromolyn, and ipratropium (Atropine-like) nasal sprays, are used to manage some allergy symptoms. Montelukast (Singulair) is an inhibitor of a chemical involved in allergic reactions known as leukotriene. Montelukast is used to treat asthma and has also been approved for treatment of hay fever (allergic rhinitis).
• Allergy immunotherapy (allergy shots) is a process of stimulation of the immune system with gradually increasing doses of the substances to which a person is allergic. Immunotherapy is very effective for management of allergies to pollen, mites, cats, and especially stinging insects (for example, bees).