PHX Reporter

• 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 participate in Allergy & Asthma Day Capitol Hill will be able to ask lawmakers to support related legislation, share their personal stories, 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. John Stewart of Arizona Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers said allergy sufferers have multiple treatment options, and newer treatments are becoming more efficient and less expensive.

"You can still get the old, so-called circuit treatment, which is subcutaneous immunotherapy," Stewart told PHX Reporter. "But the latest -- the new kid on the block -- is the SLIT therapy, or sublingual immunotherapy drops under the tongue, which you can do at home. The results are identical, and it's a matter of convenience. It’s nice for people to pick up their vial at home, put the drops under their tongue and go about their business. They don’t have to go to a doctor's office -- and for a lot of people, that's a time saver and a money saver. That's what most people are opting for these days: SLIT therapy or under-the-tongue drop therapy."

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 caused by inflammation, which is a result of the body attempting 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 in turn makes allergy symptoms and asthma worse.

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