Hello! Kitty Woo Ham here. I am a family nurse practitioner specializing in allergy testing and treating allergies for the past 10 years.

I work with Martins Wellness in providing allergy treatments.

It’s Fall which brings in a major allergen - Ragweed!!

 

What is Ragweed?

Ragweed is a weed that grows throughout the US. Each plant only has one season but that one plant can produce 1 billion grains of pollen.

If you live in Austin or are in and around town, you’ll see ragweed along Zilker park, roadways and grassy fields (see picture below).

Common ragweed allergy symptoms include sneezing, mucous in the nose and throat, itchy skin, eyes and nose; stuffy and/or runny nose.

Ragweed allergies can also cause irritability, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, and exacerbate asthma with wheezing and chest tightness.

I can confirm a diagnosis of what you’re allergic to with prick testing— I apply a diluted allergen to the surface of your skin and wait about 10-20 minutes to see if there is a reaction, such as a raised red bump that itches. Testing is done on Thursdays and Saturdays at Lamar Plaza Drug store or Dripping Springs pharmacies.

Ragweed allergies can be treated with allergy medications or individually formulated allergy drops.

While medications are not a cure, they can help manage your symptoms. I highly recommend generic Nasacort/triamcinolone nose spray along with D-Hist or AllerDX or Similasan Allergy nose spray.

It’s best to start allergy medication two weeks before you expect your symptoms to be at their worst.

  1. Aller Dx- Plantiva
    Aller Dx- Plantiva
    $26.95
  2. Aller-DMG 120 Chewables Davinci Labs
    Aller-DMG 120 Chewables Davinci Labs
    $45.95
  3. Allergena Allergy Relief - Zone 5 - 2oz
    Allergena Allergy Relief - Zone 5 - 2oz
    $24.95
  4. Seasonal Allergy Formula - 1oz
    Seasonal Allergy Formula - 1oz
    $19.95
  5. CEDAR X FORMULA 1 OZ DROPPER - INTEGRATIVE HEALING INSTITUE
    Cedar X - Cedar Oil Allergy Formula 1oz
    $19.95
    Out of stock

Allergy drops cure you by teaching your body to become immune to allergens, similar to how vaccines work, but no shots are involved. Allergy drops taste sweet and you apply the drop under the tongue once daily. It is the most natural way to manage allergies!

If you’re suffering from allergy symptoms, consult with me about the possibility of a ragweed allergy or other allergies.

It is also a great time of year to start thinking about how to prevent Cedar fever before Cedar/Juniper season. That season starts in November and ends in March.

 

Allergy Testing at Martin’s Wellness

Not certain what allergens cause your symptoms? At Martins Wellness we test for 40 total environmental and food allergens. From there, we formulate a treatment specifically to you!

For more information, check out the allergy section of our website:

Thank you for your continued support of our local, family owned and operated pharmacies!