Sinusitis Causes - Inflammatory and Infectious Causes - Allergies

Allergies - A runny nose, itchy eyes, sore or scratchy throat, uncontrollable sneezing and sometimes itching of the skin are all symptoms of what is commonly called hay fever. The condition is more accurately known as seasonal allergic rhinitis. Seasonal allergic rhinitis occurs when airborne pollutants (such as pollen, animal dander, mold spores, etc.) come into contact with the lining of the nose, eyes, or throat.
The immune system normally protects the body against harmful substances such as bacteria, viruses, and toxins. Sometimes, however, the immune system mistakenly tries to protect against a harmless substance, and in the process, causes an allergic reaction. Allergens that are known to trigger nasal allergies include pollens, animal dander, molds and dust mites, among others. In the United States, the most prevalent pollen comes from ragweed. It begins pollinating in late August and continues until the first frost.
When pollen triggers an allergic reaction, the condition is referred to as hay fever, seasonal allergic rhinitis, or pollinosis. If you have hay fever, you are not alone. An estimated 26.1 million Americans experience hay fever symptoms each year. In addition, 14.6 million Americans have asthma, which often accompanies hay fever.
The immune system normally protects the body against harmful substances such as bacteria, viruses, and toxins. Sometimes, however, the immune system mistakenly tries to protect against a harmless substance, and in the process, causes an allergic reaction. There are many such substances, or allergens, that can trigger allergies. Allergens that are known to trigger nasal allergies include pollens, cat dander, molds and dust mites, among others.

If you suffer from severe or chronic sinus-related allergies, if your symptoms do not respond to allergy medications, or if you are symptomatic more than six months a year, your physician may prescribe immunotherapy. Immunotherapy, or allergy shots, is a treatment for allergic reactions to grass pollens, dust mites and other known allergens. It is the only therapeutic treatment that has the potential to cure allergies.
The first step in the immunotherapy process is to screen for allergens. Your physician will ask for a thorough medical history and then administer tests to help identify your specific allergens. Skin tests (either prick or intradermal dilutional testing) are slightly more sensitive than blood tests (RAST, ELIZA, etc.).
Afterwards, you will be given increasing doses of the allergens to which you are allergic. Incremental doses administered over time prompt the immune system to become less and less sensitive to these allergens. Besides easing or eliminating allergic reactions, immunotherapy also reduces the chronic inflammation that characterizes rhinitis (nasal inflammation) and asthma. While you are undergoing immunotherapy, you may also be counseled on ways to reduce allergens in your environment.