Allergies Don’t Have to Inhibit Athletes

The Super Bowl is approaching, and there’s no denying America’s obsession with football. With over one million kids playing high school football, it remains the school sport that attracts the highest levels of participation. For those who play, allergies can be a deterrent to performance-especially with practices and games occurring on grass (a major allergen) and in outdoor environments where airborne pollens can wreak their havoc.

Allergy symptoms can include hay fever, eczema, recurrent sinus infections, and can even morph into full blown asthma. Athletes who don’t feel well often do not play well.

Allergies result from a dysfunction of the immune system . When the body encounters harmless antigens in the environment (pollen, mold, pet dander, etc.), it should ignore them. But sometimes, the immune system mistakenly perceives the antigens as threats and overreacts in ways that lead to troubling symptoms.

Pills, inhalers, and nasal sprays may provide a quick fix, addressing the symptoms of allergy. Immunotherapy may be a better option, however, for athletes who find allergies consistently cutting into their quality of life and physical performance. Immunotherapy can “rewire” the immune system so that it stops having allergic reactions in the first place.

Immunotherapy is available through shots at the doctors office, but these can be tricky to stick with for athletes with tight schedules. AllergyEasy offers  another increasingly popular type of immunotherapy-sublingual allergy drops that can be take in the comfort of home. Allergy drops have been shown to be safer than shots (less risk of anaphylactic reaction), and they are free of many of the side effects that come with synthetic medications like pills and inhalers. Contact AllergyEasy for more information.