Allergies in Las Vegas

Allergies are very common in Las Vegas. Most people get allergy symptoms from time to time, and these may include nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, or itchy eyes. Some people suffer from these all the time. The symptoms can range from a mild nuisance (blowing your nose a lot) or can become a real problem (need to take off work). Allergies can lead to serious conditions such as sinus infections, or bronchitis.

 

What Causes Allergies?

Most people have seasonal allergies that are related to airborne pollen that is produced by grasses, trees, and weeds. These plants produce a large amount of pollen in the spring and a smaller amount in the fall. Plants don’t grow well or produce pollen in the winter here (too cold) and not in the summer (too hot). A pollen count is a way to measure how much pollen is in the air and, this number can be reported by apps on your phone, you can google search it, find it in a newspaper, or on the news.

Some people have allergies year-round (perennial allergies), and this is related to the allergen being present year-round. Things like dust, dog or cat dander don’t vary with the seasons, like pollens. Some people have both seasonal allergies and perennial allergens.

 

Your Bodies Reaction

What happens with allergies is a reaction between the nose and pollen. When a person is allergic to, say cats, is exposed to a cat, the person breathes in cat dander (called an allergen), and the nasal lining releases histamine. Histamine causes the nasal lining to swell (you get congested), the nasal lining to weep (you get a runny nose) and causes sneezing and itchiness of the eyes.

 

 

Living in Las Vegas

Surprisingly, many people have allergies in Las Vegas. There is a longer season without frost or very cold weather, so plants grow and produce pollen (allergens) many months of the year. Much of our landscaping (trees, shrubs, flowers) has been brought in from the California, East Coast or other geographic locations, so when you live here, you not only get exposed to Las Vegas-based plants but also California or East Coast pollens, as well. The dry climate here makes the allergens in the nose stick around longer and prolongs and intensifies the allergic reactions. Humidity (the amount of moisture in the air) affects how long we are exposed to allergens. Living in Las Vegas, a dry environment, causes mucus in your nose to dry out. It becomes thick and is hard to clear. The mucus becomes dry and sticky and traps allergens, dust, debris, and bacteria. If allergens stay around too long in the mucus, this turns into a prolonged

 

Treatment for Allergies

Treatment for allergy symptoms, such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, or itchy eyes usually involves pills and sprays. Most of the medications are over-the-counter. These include antihistamine pills such as Claritin, Allegra, Zyrtec, or Benadryl and nasal steroid sprays, such as Flonase, Nasacort, or Rhinocort. FYI, the steroids sprays are very safe, unlike steroid pills; steroid sprays cannot be detected in routine blood tests and do not have the side effects that steroid pills do. A decongestant pill like Sudafed or decongestant spray like Afrin can reverse nasal congestion and stop some of runny nose. There are numerous other medications that may help, some prescription and others over-the-counter, that can be discussed with the doctor.