Allergy Sufferers Spending Extra Time At The Doctor

Thursday, September 13th 2007, 5:00 pm

By: News On 6

Allergy season has Oklahomans sneezing and wheezing. Itâ€™s been a bad season for allergy sufferers, especially those susceptible to ragweed. The News On 6â€™s Steve Berg reports a weather pattern of lots of sun, followed by lots of rain has created the perfect place to breed weeds.

Dr. Charles Heinberg has seen the signs, whether it's in his office or along the roadside.

"I've seen it in stalks as high as eight feet tall with lots of blossoms," said Allergy Specialist Dr. Charles Heinberg. "The ragweed is doing very well. The early rain that we had this spring has caused a proliferation of all kinds of vegetation, especially weeds."

Dr. Heinberg says fall is always a busy time of year for the allergy clinic, but he says they are seeing a few more ragweed victims than usual.

"In the spring, it's typically grasses and trees. In the fall, it's typically weeds," he said.

The only way to know for sure what ails you is to go in and get tested.

"The symptoms of allergies are pretty uniform, regardless of what triggers it," Dr. Heinberg said. "Your body has a limited number of ways to respond, and when you irritate your nose, whether it's an infection or whether it's an allergy, it responds with the typical sneezing, itching, running, congestion."

The doctor says that leaves two choices, medication or avoidance, which he says is easier said than done, especially for those who work or spend time outside.

"I do like to garden, and I do spend some time in the yard," allergy sufferer Kathy Berglund said.

The doctor says they first try a general medication to treat allergy sufferers. In the really bad cases, they will actually inject a person with a small amount of what they're allergic to and then slowly increase the amounts to desensitize them to the allergy.

For more on allergies and what causes them, click here.

Watch the video: Allergy Sufferers Suffering