Dr Oz: What Causes Allergies? Most Common Allergies and Allergy Shots

Dr Oz: Do Allergy Shots Work?

Dr. Oz said the worst allergy season is upon us and some doctors are even referring to it as an allergy epidemic! He says allergies are literally sweeping across the country like never before and they could leave you feeling worse than you ever have before.

Dr Oz: What Causes Allergies?

Dr. Clifford Bassett says an allergy epidemic is exactly what we are experiencing this year because doctors are seeing more patients than ever before, ranging in age from children to adults. He says allergy season started early this year, back in February, which is due to warm weather that many experienced before it got cold again. Dr. Bassett says he normally does not hear from patients until the month of April with their allergy complaints.

Dr. Oz: Most Common Allergies

Dr. Oz asked Dr. Bassett to share the most common types of allergies. He outlined a few along with the symptoms that come along with them. He says we literally need to be on an allergy alert this year and maybe even every year from now on.

• Tree Pollen – Happens in the months of March and April and can cause a lot of misery with people feeling like they have a horrible cold.
• Grass Pollen – Comes along around Easter and creates a pollen “bomb” according to Dr. Bassett, which leads to a miserable time for a lot of people.
• Ragweed – This usually shows up during the summer months and used to be the worst of all, but Dr. Bassett says the spring pollens are currently the worst ones.
• Mold Spores – These tend to cause a problem in the summer months when it gets hotter, and the problem is they are invisible so they can wreak havoc on your body without you even seeing the problem.

Dr Oz: Allergy Shots vs Allergy Drops

Dr. Clifford Bassett believes we need to be more proactive about boosting our immune systems so we can prevent allergies instead of having to treat them once we are feeling miserable.

• Allergy Shots – Form of treatment has been around over 100 years and is covered by insurance.
• Allergy Drops – A form of sublingual immunotherapy where your doctor puts together the drops in a formula unique to your specific needs and allergies. It is a way to strengthen your immune system and reduce the symptoms associated with allergies. The drops will build up your tolerance so your body will be less irritated by things in the environment that should not be bothering you in the first place. The only concern is that allergy drops are not yet approved by the FDA so they are not covered by insurance, but Dr. Clifford Bassett believes it will not be long before you can get them from your allergist.