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TRAVEL: Luring people off their couches, D3 GARDENING THE COMMUNITY: Springfield-based organization plans annual plant sale, virtual gardeners’ gathering, D7
| SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2021
Allergic rhinitis affects 25-30 percent of all Americans, is the most common disease of childhood and is responsible for 18 million missed days of school and work each year at an estimated cost of $11.2 billion dollars per year. - Dr. David M. Robertson, AIANE Allergist and Clinical Immunologist
On one of the first dates Heather R. Brinn, of Westfield, had with the man who is her now fiancé, she had her first severe asthma attack. It was her first spring in New England, and he took her on a hike at Mt. Tom.
AIANE, and the impacts to my daily life are now minimal.” According to Dr. Jonathan L. Bayuk, AIANE president, 9 percent of Massachusetts residents have asthma. “It is genetic as well as environmentally driven. It is an allergic disease as well,” he said, but there are many ways to treat it including avoidance of triggers, inhaled and oral medications, immunotherapy (allergy shots) and biologic medications. He specializes in allergy and immunology and is board certified in internal medicine. Among the immunological diseases he treats are immune deficiencies, allergic rhinitis, By Cori Urban asthma, allergic skin condiSPECIAL TO THE REPUBLICAN tions, vaccine medicine, mast “Trying to seem sporty and cell diseases, food allergies, fun, I did my best to hide the drug allergies, venom allerfact that I definitely couldn’t gies and sinus disease. breathe,” recalled the teachThe COVID-19 pandemic ing associate and doctoral has affected some people candidate at the University of with these conditions in that Massachusetts in Amherst. many have avoided care to “This was the beginning of a avoid close proximity to other long string of allergic reacpeople. “Severe asthmatics tions, asthma attacks and may have worse disease,” he many, many inhalers. But, added. hey, I still landed the guy!” Dr. David M. Robertson, an Brinn’s asthma and a susAIANE allergist and clinical tained allergic reaction to an immunologist, sees both adult unknown cause made her to and pediatric patients on a seek help from AIANE: Aller- daily basis. He is board certigy & Immunology Associates fied in allergy and immunolof New England, a full-service ogy, adult internal medicine allergy and immunology prac- and pediatrics. tice in Western Massachusetts The common medical that cares for all allergy and conditions he treats include immunological diseases inallergic rhinitis, asthma, cluding asthma, contact derallergic skin conditions, food matitis, food allergies, drug allergies, urticaria (hives), allergies, venom allergies and eczema/atopic dermatitis, immunodeficiency disorders. angioedema (swelling), “My asthma is most severe drug allergies and immune in cold temps and during sea- deficiencies while some of son changes, so my move to the least common include New England a few years ago eosinophilic esophagitis and set it into overdrive,” Brinn hereditary angioedema. Many allergy medicines said. “It’s managed thanks to
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are now available “over the counter, but matching the correct medicine to your symptoms can be confusing,” he cautioned those with undiagnosed allergies. “Unfortunately, a fair number of patients aren’t able to control their symptoms with medications alone. Your primary doctor may be able to make recommendations or prescribe medications to help. Seeing an allergist is probably the best way to determine what is causing your symptoms and come up with a definitive treatment plan, which
might involve allergy immunotherapy (allergy shots).” Symptoms vary from patient to patient, but often include sneezing, nasal congestion, itchy nose, post-nasal drip, itchy/watery/swollen eyes, itchy skin or eczema. “Environmental allergies can also cause asthma to flare for some patients or hives with skin contact,” he explained. Allergies and COVID-19 both can cause nasal congestion and post-nasal drip. “Allergies generally should not cause fever or chills. Allergies generally cause more itching
Dr. David Robertson is a board-certified allergist and immunologist at Allergy & Immunology Associates of New England. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN)
and sneezing,” he said, noting that The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warn that COVID-19 may cause a dry cough. “Allergies generally don’t cause a dry cough but can in someone with asthma.” Antihistamines (loratadine, cetirizine, fexofenadine) can help with sneezing and itching, whereas steroid nasal sprays can help with congestion and post-nasal drip, he advised. Allergies can affect one’s quality of life. “Allergic rhinitis affects 25-30 percent of all Americans, is the most common disease of childhood and is responsible for 18 million missed days of school and work each year at an estimated cost of $11.2 billion dollars per year,” Robertson said, adding that as many as 80 percent of children and 50 percent of adults with persistent asthma also have an allergic contribution to their symptoms. “On a personal level, aside from the significant discomfort associated with symptoms, uncontrolled allergies can also cause significant sleep disturbances, leading to daytime fatigue and trouble paying attention at both school and work,” he said. Asked about treatment for different types of allergies, Robertson pointed out that there are a few basic strategies to treat allergies of any kind: “First, identify the allergen and attempt to avoid it,” he said. This can be at least partially effective for indoor allergens like dust mites and pets but can be very difficult for outdoor allergens like pollen and outdoor mold. One of the few benefits of the global COVID-19 pandemic is that wearing masks
can actually reduce exposure and symptoms associated with outdoor allergens. “The second strategy is medications, which may be over-the-counter or prescribed. For patients with food allergies, epinephrine is the mainstay of medical therapy in case accidental ingestion occurs,” he said. The final option for patients with environmental allergies causing rhinitis, asthma or skin rashes is allergy immunotherapy, or allergy shots, where small amounts of allergens are introduced to the immune system in a controlled way on regular basis to get a person’s immune system used to their allergens; this is called reintroducing immune tolerance. “It can be very effective and is generally covered by insurance,” Robertson said, adding that injected immunotherapy is not available for foods, but one oral immunotherapy product was FDA approved for peanuts in 2020. AIANE has offices in Greenfield, Northampton, Springfield, Westfield and Wilbraham. It is affiliated with Baystate Medical Center, Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Baystate Noble Hospital, Baystate Wing Hospital, Cooley Dickinson Hospital and Mercy Medical Center. It has excellent working relationships with many of the region’s top hospitals, including Boston Medical Center and Boston Children’s Hospital, the staff ’s expertise allows them to successfully diagnose and treat the vast majority of their patients without the need for outside referrals. For more information, go to allergyimmunologydocs. com.