About Kathleen MacNaughton Expertise As a registered nurse and health educator, as well as a person living with nasal allergies, eczema, allergic asthma, and eye allergies, I can answer questions related to allergy symptoms, triggers, diagnosis, and treatment.
Experience I have lived with severe nasal, eye, and skin allergies all of my life. I also have allergic asthma. In addition, I have been an RN for more than 30 years and have spent the last 10 years as a consumer health educator, both offline and online, specializing in the areas of allergies and asthma.
Publications About.com (asthma), HealthCentral.com (asthma and allergy networks), RhinocortAqua.com, EverydayKidz.com
Education/Credentials Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Syracuse University.
Question Hi Kathleen,
Thanks for taking my question. I am a first year medical student and recently moved from NC to Florida (Sarasota area).
Ever since we moved here in July of 2007, my wife has been having extremely bad allergy. I myself and other members of my family are showing some allergy symptoms ..but not as severe. Her parents live in Orlando..we go there often. When we go there, she doesn't have a single episode of allergy. Then when we come back, within 24 to 48 hours she gets allergies - red itchy eyes, runny nose.
We can't seem to figure out the problem. This house is relatively new..built in 2006 in a nice neighborhood. I have installed new air filters.
Are there any government agencies that might do a indoor air check? If not..what kind of private businessses would do such a test?
As a student, my financial resources are very limited. But if you think it would be helpful, I would take her to an allergist. She doesn't have insurance.
Thanks for your help.
Answer Hi Shahab,
It does sound as though your wife is reacting to something. Just because your home is newer, doesn't mean there's no allergens in it. It could even be an environmental irritant, such as chemicals in new carpeting, a fairly common allergy trigger.
The jury is still out on how well air filters protect against allergies. They won't hurt, and some people swear by them, but you don't want to rely only on them.
The best thing you can do on your own is look for sources of common allergens and irritants in your home and then work to eliminate them to see if her allergy symptoms subside. Here are the most common ones:
- pollen from trees, grasses, weeds
- mold and mildew (common in dark, damp places)
- animal dander (dead skin flakes) from feathered or furry animals
- dust mites (carpeting, bedding, upholstered furniture are fave hiding places)
- insect droppings (cockroaches and Asian ladybugs)
- tobacco smoke and wood smoke
- strong fumes and odors
- sawdust or other chemical dust
- car exhaust and other pollutants
Keeping a detailed diary of her symptoms, when they occur, what she was doing right before, etc. can also help identify patterns that will yield clues.
I really don't know about whether there are authorities who will inspect your home air quality. But I do think a consultation with an allergist could be beneficial.
