More pollen, more allergies: Exposure therapy in several forms treats symptoms
Some doctors prescribe sublingual immunotherapy, known as SLIT, a serum taken as drops under the tongue. Patients like it, but it is not FDA-approved, so insurance usually doesn't cover it.
If you're sniffling and sneezing you're not alone. Mild winters, like the one the eastern U.S. has had, can bring longer allergy seasons, as warmer temperatures prompt some plants to produce more pollen.
For the millions of Americans who battle allergies, taking over the counter antihistamines, often combined with a steroid nasal spray, is enough to tamp down symptoms temporarily. But Abigail Bortnick, 41, wanted a way to prevent allergic reactions over the long term.
"I had really bad seasonal allergies," Bortnick says. Tests showed she was allergic to grasses and weeds, and she recalls feeling lousy when pollen counts rose. "I would have a runny nose, itchy eyes, the whole deal," says Bortnick, who lives in the
