Sunshine Sentinel

• More than 23 million people in the U.S. suffer from allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever.
• Ragweed allergy is a top cause of hay fever.
• Fortunately, there are several treatment options available for allergy sufferers.

Allergic rhinitis is also called hay fever, and an allergy to ragweed is a major cause of it, according to the Allergy & Asthma Network.

Ragweed allergy sufferers will feel the peak effects of their symptoms in mid-September, and those symptoms can last until November. Ragweed plants grow in abundance across the country, and their pollen can be found in every state. Common allergy symptoms include a runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes and noses, and hives.

People who are allergic to ragweed and also have asthma could experience a flareup in asthma symptoms if they inhale the plant's pollen. Asthma-related hospitalizations spike in mid-September, thanks to ragweed pollen.

"Allergies are a condition where your body reacts to an allergen in the environment, especially in your nose," Dr. Matthew Blair of Gulf Coast Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told Sunshine Sentinel. "Your nose is covered with a mucous membrane similar to your mouth. There are cells within your nose called mast cells, and they release something called histamine. Histamine is what gives you this overall reaction of itchy eyes, itchy nose, sneezing, clear watery mucus and just stuffiness. And what that does is it also causes swelling in the tissues in the nose, and they can block openings to the sinuses if you're a chronic allergy sufferer. It can lead to chronic infections if you have chronic inflammatory disease of the sinuses from allergies."

To minimize allergy symptoms, allergy sufferers can take the following steps: Premedicate with a nasal spray or antihistamine, change clothing and take a shower after coming inside, wear a mask outdoors, keep windows and doors closed, and monitor ragweed pollen counts. People who are allergic to ragweed should also avoid certain foods that are botanically related to ragweed, including bananas, mangoes, artichokes, cucumbers, cantaloupes, watermelons, sunflower seeds and zucchini.

To diagnose allergies, doctors review the patient's symptoms and medical history, and they may recommend either a blood test or a skin test, according to WebMD. For a skin test, the doctor will place a small amount of the allergen on the patient's skin, typically on the forearm or back. If the patient is allergic to that particular allergen, a small, itchy bump will appear.

Depending on the type and severity of your allergies, a doctor could recommend various treatment options, according to Mayo Clinic. Some treatments options are over-the-counter medications, nasal sprays, allergy shots, immunotherapy, or, for very severe allergies, carrying an emergency epinephrine shot, such as an EpiPen.

If you're suffering from allergies and are looking for some treatment options, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.