You’re sneezing, your nose is running, and your eyes are itchy and watery. Is it a cold? Could be. But there’s also a chance that you could be suffering from winter allergies. Allergens don’t go away during the cold winter months. When the conditions are right, they find places to grow and flourish in your home all year long. Keeping conditions wrong for allergens can help you to decrease symptoms and have a sniffle-free winter.

An allergy is a specific immunologic reaction to a normally harmless substance. When a person is exposed to an allergen for the first time, his or her body recognizes the allergen as a foreign substance and reacts by developing antibodies to the allergen. When a second exposure occurs, the antibodies attack it, causing symptoms of the allergy.

Allergies are one of the most common causes of illness and disability in the United States. It is estimated that between 40 and 50 million Americans suffer from some type of allergy.

It’s widely believed that the tendency to be allergic is inherited. It is also thought that exposure to allergens at certain times when the bodies defenses are lowered can contribute to allergy development,

Types of allergens that cause reactions include pollens, dust particles, mold, food, latex, insect venom, and medications.

Many allergens are airborne and enter the body through the nose. When an allergen lands on the mucous membranes inside the nose, a reaction occurs which causes the release of histamine and other chemicals. These chemicals cause the symptoms of allergy, including sneezing, running nose, postnasal drip, coughing, red, watery eyes, and itchy nose, throat or eyes. Allergies can exacerbate other conditions; asthma is often provoked by airborne allergens.

So how can you tell if your runny nose is a cold or an allergy? If your “cold” has lingered for more than two weeks, you should make an appointment to see your doctor.

When diagnosing an allergy, a physician will look at a number of variables, including types of symptoms, family history of allergies, when and where the symptoms occur, and condition of mucous membranes. Depending on these factors, further tests may be warranted. These could include skin tests and blood tests.

There are three general approaches to treating allergic conditions. The first is avoidance. For instance, people who are allergic to cats probably shouldn’t have them for pets. Keeping homes dust-free can help people who suffer from allergies to dust mites. A dehumidifier can help reduce the moisture level in a home and decrease the likelihood that mold will be present.

A number of medications are used to treat the symptoms of allergies. Some must be prescribed by a physician; other are available over-the-counter.

Antihistamines work to relieve sneezing, nasal swelling, runny nose, and itching of the nose, throat, and eyes by decreasing the effects of histamines in the body. Topical nasal steroids are anti-inflammatory drugs that reduce mucus secretion and nasal swelling.

Decongestants may be prescribed to relieve congestion, swelling, excess mucus, and sinus discomfort. Cromolyn sodium is a nasal spray that works to prevent allergic reactions. Sometimes a physician will recommend a combination of medications to effectively treat allergy symptoms.

With immunotherapy, patients receive a series of injections, which gradually increase the amount of allergens that are released into the body. Over time, this causes the body to reduce the amount of allergy-producing antibodies in the blood, which increases a person’s tolerance to the allergen and decreases allergy symptoms.

Current research is being done regarding cause, education, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of allergies. This work offers the promise of improving treatment and control of allergies and the hope that eventually prevention of allergies will be a reality.

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Dr. Mork is a board certified family practice physician at Raiter Clinic in Cloquet.