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Ed Yeates ReportingAnother springtime problem is on many minds, allergies. Early numbers from a landmark survey show allergies are creating some serious problems in the workplace.
In the largest sampling of its kind endorsed by the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, reactions from almost everything are taking their toll.
Steve Larson from Bountiful was at the Intermountain Allergy and Asthma Clinic today for one of his many checkups. In a national survey of allergy sufferers, Steve is among 80 plus percent of those who now say the continual battle fighting allergens is leaving them worn out.
How significant are the numbers? 65-percent say they're miserable, 62-percent, irritable. And most of them, 52-percent, say the symptoms are affecting their performance on the job.
Alan Bitner, M.D., Intermountain Allergy and Asthma Clinic: "A good comparison is to imagine a bad cold we all experience now and then, but to have that last for months."
Steve Larson, Allergy Patient: "If you go up into the mountains for our campfire, you have to come home and change out of all our clothes, shower off. Windy days in the summer, stay indoors."
Steve's symptoms are especially annoying since he's among the 56 percent who has allergies year-round
Alan Bitner, M.D.: "It's not like it's an infection that you can pass to anybody or something like that. It's something you have that's inherent in your immune system."
New generation drugs are working well, symptomatically. But down the road, Dr. Alan Bitner is hoping for something much better.
Alan Bitner, M.D.: "There's some research going on now where, down the road, there may actually be sort of the magic shot people will get that will boost their immune system."
Thus ending - perhaps - all allergies. Incidentally, tomorrow is officially the beginning of the pollen count season. So for you seasonal allergy sufferers, get ready!
The economic burden for dealing with allergies, in this country alone, is estimated at 18-billion dollars.
