Millions of Americans will soon be impacted by the rise in ragweed and other allergy triggers
Millions of Americans will soon be impacted by the rise in ragweed and other allergy triggers
SAN ANTONIO, Aug. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- When Americans return to work and school after summer vacation, the fall allergy season will begin to impact many of the nearly 50 million allergy sufferers across the country1. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Americans lost more than 6 million work and school days in 2018, costing about $18 billion2.
The nation’s largest allergy testing and at-home immunotherapy service provider, United Allergy Services, recommends that people take control of their allergy symptoms by getting tested before symptoms are present.
The first step is to identify what triggers symptoms with an allergy test. Through a series of gentle skin pricks, a patient’s skin is exposed to geographically specific seasonal and perennial allergens plus common indoor allergy triggers. Evaluation of the skin’s reaction identifies the allergens to target for each individual.
To help alleviate the nation’s limited number of allergists, United Allergy has expanded access to allergy testing by embedding their allergy specialists within general practitioners’ practices to administer allergy tests and, eventually, treatment.
“For almost any medical condition, early detection often yields the best results. Allergies should be treated no differently,” said Dr. Frederick M. Schaffer, chief medical officer of United Allergy Services. “As allergy sufferers know, a rise in allergy symptoms typically coincides with an increase in medication use. Because the presence of antihistamines can impact the accuracy of test results, we try to encourage people to get tested before their allergy triggers are in the air.”
While triggers vary between regions and patients, the most common cause this time of year is ragweed, a common allergen that can travel for hundreds of miles and has a pollination season that continues to lengthen3.
Once test results are analyzed, a patient has several options for treatment. The most effective option is immunotherapy, with up to 85% seeing improvement through the course of treatment4. Patients can undergo immunotherapy at home under the care of their general practitioner.
To learn more about how to get ahead of this year’s fall allergy season, visit UnitedAllergyServices.com.
About United Allergy Services
United Allergy Services is the largest immunotherapy service provider allowing patients to treat the root cause of their allergies with at-home treatment under the care of their primary care physician. Since its founding in 2009, the San Antonio-based company has conducted more than 550,000 allergy tests and served over 325,000 patients with 35 million doses administered. With a proven track record and lasting dedication to patient well-being and compliance, UAS sets the standard for convenient, effective and safe allergy treatment. For more information, visit UnitedAllergyServices.com.
1 CDC, Gateway to Health Communication and Social Marketing Practice, Allergies, 2018
2 Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Fall Allergy Capitals report, 2018
3 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Climate Change Indicators: Ragweed Pollen Season, 2016
4 “Allergen-specific immunotherapy provides immediate, long-term and preventive clinical effects in children and adults,” Jacobsen et al. Clinical and Translational Allergy, 2012
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SOURCE United Allergy Services
