South Bay Leader

• About 50 million Americans suffer from allergies each year.
• Allergic reactions can vary from mild irritation to severe discomfort, with symptoms including sneezing, a runny nose, and itchy, watery, or swollen eyes.
• Allergies and sinusitis share many of the same symptoms, often exacerbating each other and making both conditions worse.

As the season changes to summer, it is important to remember how allergies can change with the season and how they can impact someone’s health. According to Dr. Farhad Sigari of Del Rey MD, the symptoms of allergies and sinusitis can be similar. 

“Allergies can contribute to the inflammation and narrowing of the sinus passages or outflow tracts,” Dr. Sigari told the South Bay Leader. “Even if your anatomical structure isn't severely problematic, allergies can make the passages narrow to the point where proper sinus drainage becomes challenging. The result is often similar symptoms to those of a severe sinus infection.”

While spring allergies may subside as trees and flowers finish blooming, summer allergies triggered by weeds and grasses become the next concern for allergy sufferers. According to WebMD, one of the most common allergy triggers in the summer is ragweed. Its pollen can travel hundreds of miles on the wind, affecting areas far beyond where it originally grew.

The 50 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies may experience sneezing, coughing, congestion, itchy eyes, a runny nose, and fatigue, according to Yale Medicine. 

To diagnose allergies, doctors will typically review a patient’s symptoms and medical history and then recommend either a blood test or a skin test, according to WebMD. For a skin test, the doctor will place a small amount of the allergen on the patient's skin, typically on the forearm or back. If the patient is allergic to that particular allergen, a small, itchy bump will appear.

According to Yale Medicine, the other option is a blood test, where the patient's blood is drawn and analyzed for allergens in a lab. Although this method takes longer, it enables doctors to test for a wider range of allergies compared to a skin test. 

Sinusitis can be caused by viruses, bacteria, fungus and allergies. If symptoms persist for longer than three months, the condition is classified as chronic sinusitis.

According to Del Rey MD's website, Dr. Farhad Sigari earned his bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering from the University of California, San Diego, where he researched heart disease. He then attended Chicago Medical School, obtaining degrees in medicine, applied physiology, and pathology, and receiving accolades such as the Dean's Award and the Alpha Omega Alpha Award. Dr. Sigari completed his surgical internship, specializing in otolaryngology and head and neck surgery, at the University of Chicago Hospital.