Grand Canyon Times

• The 26th annual Allergy & Asthma Day Capitol Hill will take place in Washington, D.C., on May 3.
• People with allergies and asthma will have the opportunity to meet with lawmakers.
• The event is free, but registration is required.

The 26th annual Allergy & Asthma Day Capitol Hill will be held May 3 in Washington, D.C., where people who suffer from allergies or asthma can meet with lawmakers and share their stories. People who attend will be able to ask lawmakers to support related legislation and learn about the latest research and what impact it can have on public health policy, according to the Allergy & Asthma Network.

The schedule for attendees will include an advocacy training breakfast, in-person advocacy meetings with members of Congress and their staff, and a lunch briefing with members of the Congressional Asthma & Allergy Caucus. Allergists and federal agency representatives will also take part in the lunch briefing. Participation is free, but attendees must register.

Dr. Brian Lee of Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center says that allergy sufferers have many treatment options, and newer treatments are more efficient and less time-consuming.

"Allergy shots still are very effective. It is once a week that the patient has to come into the office, so it can be pretty cumbersome and intrusive into daily life," Lee told the Grand Canyon Times. "We offer what we call sublingual immunotherapy, which is essentially the same principle. We tested for allergies, we figure out what you're allergic to, and we make a special, customized serum of that stuff. Then we start feeding your body small amounts of it. Traditionally, you had to come into the office once a week for a shot. But now we can actually do those in the form of a drop that you put under your tongue. You do those at home every day. And we're able to allow you to do that home because they're extremely safe and you get the same benefits."

More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies, and allergies are the sixth-most-common cause of chronic illness in the U.S., according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, can be either seasonal or perennial and can cause sneezing, a stuffy or runny nose, watery eyes and an itchy nose, eyes or mouth.

Allergy symptoms, such as itchy eyes, can be cause by inflammation, which is a result of the body's attempt to protect itself from allergens, according to MBG Health. When someone is exposed to an allergen, the body's natural stress response is to secrete hormones like cortisol and chemicals like histamine, but studies have shown that those secretions can lead to inflammation, which then can make your allergies and asthma even worse.

If you're interested in learning more about the symptoms of allergies and sinusitis, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.