'Spring with her golden suns and silver rain, is with us once again.'
Henry Timrod (1867)
KENILWORTH, N.J., March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Spring can be the best of times
and worst of times for the millions of Americans who suffer from seasonal
allergies. While pollen, peonies, and petunias awaken for the season, so do
runny noses, itchy eyes, and sneezing.
A national survey* of more than 3,200 seasonal allergy sufferers confirms
that seasonal allergies impact their everyday lives. In fact, 70 percent said
they just wanted to be left alone when suffering from seasonal allergies
(ICR). According to the survey, when suffering from physical symptoms of
seasonal allergies, daily activities are impacted:
-- 71 percent perceived they have difficulty being at their best; (ICR)
-- 64 percent said they did not want to go out; (ICR)
-- 82 percent said they don't feel like themselves; (ICR)
-- 71 percent said they would feel better about their allergies if people
understood the impact allergies have on their lives. (ICR)
For many, the physical symptoms of seasonal allergies may affect a
sufferer's lifestyle, work, and school experiences. The positive news is that
appropriate prescription treatments for seasonal allergies and the abundance
of available information resources can help. First, managing seasonal allergy
symptoms doesn't need to include the inconveniences of allergy medications
that cause drowsiness and require multiple daily doses. Second, the wide
availability of useful information, particularly on the Internet, provides
allergy sufferers with more resources than ever to help them better understand
and manage their condition.
Work Impact
All of the physical symptoms of seasonal allergies can lead to fatigue,
sleeplessness, loss of appetite, and headaches, which may interfere with work.
The cost of lost productivity, including overall work days lost and diminished
work performance, is estimated at $639 million (McMenamin). Although many
people use over-the-counter antihistamines for immediate relief of their
symptoms, these medications may cause drowsiness, which may affect daily
activities.
"People who work may want to avoid over-the-counter antihistamine products
to treat seasonal allergies, as they may cause drowsy side effects in some
people," said Morris Nejat, M.D., who is affiliated with Columbia University
Hospital and Bellevue Hospital Center, and Associate Director, New York
Allergy & Immunology Group. "This is particularly true with people who
operate equipment at home or on the job."
Children's School Experience
Seasonal allergies are highly prevalent in children, and their impact can
be significant. More than forty percent of school-age children suffer from
seasonal allergies (Wright). On a typical school day, more than 10,000
children are absent as a result of allergies (NIH). When children with
seasonal allergies attend school, the uncomfortable symptoms of seasonal
allergies can make it difficult for children to get the most out of their
school experience.
"Children with seasonal allergies may need special consideration because
they may not be able to understand or communicate their symptoms," added Dr.
Nejat.
The Internet
For people who suffer from seasonal allergies, or believe that they may
have symptoms of seasonal allergies, the Internet provides a wealth of
information. Information can help allergy sufferers make more informed
decisions that may help them to better manage their physical symptoms. For
example, the Internet provides pollen counts for areas throughout the U.S.,
which may help allergy sufferers prepare for allergy flare-ups at home or
travel destinations. Other useful information on the Internet includes
allergy news and reports and tips to reduce offending allergens in living
environments. Sites that provide information on allergies include:
http://www.claritin.com; http://www.niaid.nih.gov;
http://www.allergylearninglab.com; http://www.aaaai.org; and
http://www.mayhealth.org/mayo/common/htm/allergy.htm.
Communication
Effective communication with family, friends, and co-workers about the
impact of seasonal allergies may help them understand and be more sympathetic
to allergy sufferers, which, in turn, can help sufferers manage the condition.
Consult a Physician
Seasonal allergies are manageable if properly diagnosed and treated.
Often, seasonal allergies can be difficult to detect and perceived as a
lingering common cold. A physician is in the best position to properly
diagnose symptoms and determine an appropriate course of treatment. Managing
seasonal allergy symptoms does not need to depend on medications that cause
drowsiness and require multiple daily doses.
There are many treatments available for seasonal allergic rhinitis. The
most common treatment for allergies is antihistamines. Although many people
use OTC antihistamines for relief of their symptoms, these medications may
cause drowsiness in some people, which may affect daily activities, such as
driving a car, or operating potentially dangerous machinery.
Some prescription antihistamines such as CLARITIN(R) (loratadine) Tablets,
taken once a day, have been shown to alleviate the physical symptoms of
seasonal allergies without drowsiness when taken at recommended doses.
CLARITIN(R) Tablets have a low occurrence of side effects. Side effects
occurred about as often as they did with placebo (sugar pill). Most common
were headache, occurring with 12 percent of people; drowsiness, 8 percent;
fatigue, 4 percent; and dry mouth, 3 percent.
Schering Laboratories is the U.S. prescription pharmaceutical marketing
arm of Schering-Plough Corporation of Madison, N.J., a research-based company
engaged in the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of
pharmaceutical and health care products worldwide.
* A national telephone survey was conducted by International
Communications Research (ICR) of Media, Pennsylvania for Schering Laboratories
during the period of January 29 through February 16, 1998. The survey polled
a random sample of 3,219 adult seasonal allergy sufferers.
REFERENCES
International Communications Research (ICR): Survey on allergy sufferers.
1998.
McMenamin P. Costs of hay fever in the United States in 1990. Ann
Allergy. 1994;73:35-39.
National Institutes of Health. Publication No. 80-388, Mar 1980.
Wright AL, Holberg CJ, Martinex FD, Halonen M, Morgan W, Taussig LM.
Epidemiology of physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis in childhood.
Pediatrics. 1994;94:895-901.
SOURCE Schering-Plough Corporation
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