Allergies plague a lot of people, but what if your symptoms aren’t allergies? The runny nose, itchy eyes, and fever could be a sinus infection not run-of-the-mill allergies. A new survey shows people are diagnosing themselves, and suffering longer because of it.
“The symptoms of a sinus infection are similar to allergies, and sometimes allergies can lead to sinusitis, so it’s no surprise to learn that patients are confused,” says Mike Tringale, vice president of external affairs at Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). “However, there is a key difference between allergies and chronic sinusitis.
If you have allergy-like symptoms that last longer than 12 weeks or symptoms that occur more than three times per year and don’t get better with treatment attempts, you may have chronic sinusitis and should see your doctor for a correct diagnosis and the right medical solution.”
The survey done by AAFA shows over half (51%) of sufferers have misdiagnosed themselves as having allergies when it actually turned out to be sinusitis. Aside from that, only 36% of people with allergies go to a doctor when symptoms pop up, they just assume it’s allergies.
Specialists say people need to seek medical help to knock out a sinus infection.
“Chronic sinusitis has been under-diagnosed for many years for a variety of reasons,” said Dr. Silvers. ”However, since many patients are confused about which medications to take and more than 50 percent of patients do not respond adequately to medications, it’s import that they consult with an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) physician to get the most appropriate treatment to alleviate long-term suffering.”
The results of the survey came from more than 600 allergy patients that participated in an online survey.
New over-the-counter allergy medication
Allegra, which joined the growing list of over-the-counter allergy medications this year, has become a popular answer for many people dealing with allergies. The once daily pill boasts knocking out allergy symptoms without drowsiness as a side effect.
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