All about allergies
By Eli Parker
Spring is finally in the air. As the trees and flowers begin to bloom, so do those pesky allergies.
Whether it ' s dealing with congestion or severe breakouts, many can agree that this changing of the seasons can be a difficult time.
According to Dr. Sarah Bozeman, a physician and allergist with Family Allergy & Asthma of Somerset, these conditions are a result of the body " misfiring." Specifically, the body releases a chemical called histamine, which is a response when reacting to allergens in our environment.
Seasonally, these include various pollens( tree, grass, and ragweed), whereas some are present year-round, such as pet dander( cats, dogs, and horses), certain foods, dust mites, and mold spores.
These allergens are especially prominent in this region given its conditions. " We get four seasons where a lot of areas don ' t. We have a lot of trees, grasses, and farmland, so we ' ve got all the allergens," said Dr. Bozeman. " We ' re just a primed area for it. In fact, Kentucky as a whole is right up there as one of the most prevalent areas for allergies."
As for the origin of allergies themselves, Dr. Bozeman claims it typically traces to genetics. " If your parents have allergies, then each child has about a 75 % chance of having allergies themselves," she said. " If it ' s only one parent, then it ' s about 50 %."
Allergies can also result from lack of exposure to environmental factors while we ' re developing.
" We ' re maybe not exposed to as many things as we used to as babies," she explained. " We use a lot of hand sanitizer, we wash our hands all the time, and we ' re not outside playing in the dirt."
However, they can also result from exposure to worsening environmental factors like air pollution and climate change.
As a result, many suffer the effects that contact with these allergens can have on the body and its immune system. Most common are the symptoms of allergic rhinitis, which include runny nose, congestion, watery eyes, and drainage. Then there ' s chronic sinusitis
Dr. Sarah Bozeman 22 • SEKY- Southeast Kentucky Life april 2025