St. Patrick's Day, which is celebrated on March 17, can be a bad time of year for allergies and sinus problems. | PxHere.com
St. Patrick's Day, which is celebrated on March 17, can be a bad time of year for allergies and sinus problems. | PxHere.com
It may be more than just coincidence that some sinus sufferers find their condition to be worse after some St. Patrick’s Day celebrating.
A study published in the medical journal BMC Pulmonary Medicine in 2021 found a link between acid reflux and nasal issues. In other words, if you indulge in your favorite foods on St. Patrick Day, this could actually have a negative affect on your sinuses in the coming days.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has been reported to be significantly associated with chronic rhinosinusitis, but the strength of the association is still being debated.
The Journal of Respiratory Medicine also recently reported that “nasal symptoms seem to be associated with allergic rhinitis.”
The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) reminds those suffering from seasonal allergies that they are usually starting right around the same time as St. Patrick's Day, which is traditionally celebrated on March 17, depending on which area of the country you live in.
“In many areas of the United States, spring allergies begin in February and last until the early summer,” the ACAAI said on its website. “Tree pollination begins earliest in the year followed by grass pollination later in the spring and summer and ragweed in the late summer and fall. In tropical climates, however, grass may pollinate throughout a good portion of the year. Mild winter temperatures can cause plants to pollinate early. A rainy spring can also promote rapid plant growth and lead to an increase in mold, causing symptoms to last well into the fall.”
If you are experiencing any of these seasonal allergy or sinus symptoms, solutions are available.
“In the United States, there are three ways to treat patients,” Dr. John Ditto of Richmond Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told the Richmond Leader. “Allergy shots is one way, or what we call 'subcutaneous immunotherapy.' Second now is sublingual therapy, which are drops. It's the allergy drops given just like the shots, except you put it under your tongue. And then there are sublingual tablets that are approved in the United States by the FDA.”
If you are suffering from allergy or sinus issues and want to evaluate your symptoms, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.
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