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When it’s cold outdoors, allergies emerge indoors

HANCOCK – Many people who have allergies to pollen may also be sensitive to various irritants found indoors, but for those people there is treatment, according to Dr. Bobby Joseph.

Joseph is a medical doctor with a practice treating allergy sufferers in Marquette and at UP Health System-Portage hospital in Hancock. He said the most common irritants causing indoor allergies are dust mites, animal dander and molds.

For people who are sensitive to dust mites or animal dander, Joseph said deciding to get rid of pet can be difficult, but even with treatment, symptoms might not be completely eliminated.

“It’s a real problem when you’re attached to a pet,” he said.

Carpets, drapes and bedding can collect dust mites and pet dander, Joseph said. Hard surface floors and lightweight drapes are better alternatives.

“You want something that can clean easily,” he said.

Molds can be reduced by keeping the moisture in a living space low using dehumidifiers, Joseph said.

“Humidity control is absolutely essential,” he said.

It’s even possible mold can grow in the soil of indoor plants, Joseph said. If the situation becomes severe, there are companies that can remove mold from a home.

In northern climates, where winters last many months, Joseph said people with indoor allergies can be especially vulnerable.

“People can be indoors more during long winters,” he said.

As with pollen allergies, Joseph said indoor allergies manifest themselves with watery and itchy eyes, runny or stuffed nose, asthma and skin problems, such as excema.

“You have similar symptoms,” he said.

Older wood-burning stoves can trigger allergies, also, Joseph said, as can tobacco smoke.

A large number of Joseph’s patients have indoor allergies.

“It’s quite common,” he said.

There are several treatments for symptoms of allergies, whether indoor or outdoor, Joseph said. For nasal problems, over-the-counter steroidal sprays work well. “It used to be a prescription drug as recently as a year ago,” he said of the steroid nasal sprays.

For asthma, Joseph said the best treatments are steroid drugs, which require a prescription. For excema caused by an allergy, Joseph said steroid topical creams work well.

Those treatments all have a similar feature, Joseph said.

“Treatment involves steroids,” he said.

For people who aren’t helped by the over-the-counter and prescription drugs, Joseph said injections of drugs meant to reduce sensitivity might be recommended.

Although they won’t hurt, Joseph said air purifiers aren’t needed if the treatments mentioned are used.

“You really don’t need an air purifier,” he said.

If an air purifier is used, Joseph said, the most effective ones are models with HEPA filters, not the ionic filters.

Although indoor allergies can be uncomfortable, Joseph said sufferers should not despair.

“Most allergies are treatable,” he said.

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