Allergies to Juniper
Junipers include about 40 species of evergreen trees and shrubs, including red cedar, ash juniper, mountain cedar and common juniper. The juniper produces large quantities of particularly buoyant pollen that is carried far and wide on the wind--and up your nose, causing some of the worst allergic reactions of any pollen-producing tree. According to the Merck Manuals, pollen allergy symptoms largely affect the key facial membranes: the nose lining, resulting in allergic rhinitis; and the membrane within the eyelids and covering the whites of the eyes, causing allergic conjunctivitis.
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Significance
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The genus Juniperus is widely distributed in the Northern hemisphere. Pollen is shed from the mountain cedar in the western United States from December to March and is the primary source of airborne tree pollen. A single glycoprotein, with high carbohydrate and low protein, is responsible for the allergic response to juniper pollen. The juniper's allergens are different from most other allergens found in pollen grains, which tend to be a mix of allergenic glycoproteins and minimal carbohydrates. The high carb content along with elevated density make juniper pollen a powerful cocktail in the cause of allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis, according to the People Against Cedars website.
Considerations
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Nasal allergies are responsible for nearly 4 million lost days from school and work annually, according to the People Against Cedars website. Many bouts of nasal rhinitis are frequently misdiagnosed as a common cold. Allergic rhinitis is one of the most common chronic conditions in the United States, affecting between 20 million and 40 million Americans, according to Dr. Koop Health News, as reported on the People Against Cedars website.
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Allergic Rhinitis
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In allergic rhinitis, pollen irritates the membranes in the nose, roof of the mouth, back of the throat and eyes, causing an itching sensation that can be severe in some people. Itching may begin either gradually or abruptly. The nose may leak, producing a clear watery discharge. The nose can also become stuffed up. The stuffy nose may advance to an infection of the ear in children, and the inside of the nose may become inflamed and blue-red. Stuffed-up sinuses can cause painful headaches and sneezing.
Conjunctivitis and Other Symptoms
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Allergic conjunctivitis presents with watery and itchy eyes. Some people's eyes become quite bloodshot and the eyelids may become inflamed. Contact lenses can be highly irritating, causing further redness and swelling of the eyes.
It's not uncommon for people to also experience symptoms such as wheezing and coughing combined with an irritable mood. Some people actually find themselves feeling depressed. Others lose their appetites and experience insomnia.
Treatment
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The first line of defense against allergic rhinitis is the use of antihistamine medications, which block the inflammation-producing histamine molecules your body generates. Often, pseudoephedrine, a decongestant, is taken with the antihistamine in pill form to help alleviate nose stuffiness. Combination antihistamine-decongestant drugs are available as single tablets.
Symptoms of conjunctivitis can be relieved with eye washes or artificial tears. Avoiding the pollen that's causing the allergic response is imperative, and contact lenses must be completely avoided.
When all else fails, allergen immunotherapy or allergy vaccine therapy helps some people.
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References
- Photo Credit evening tree image by wildman from Fotolia.com
