Allergies attack campus

Sophomore Lida Coalter said she never had problems with allergies before she came to IU. \n"Back home I'm sneezes-free," Coalter said.\nMany disgruntled and stuffy students across campus like Coalter wonder why allergies are such a problem here and what can be done about them. \nThe blooming allergy epidemic simply comes down to the variety of plants and trees that are unique to Bloomington, said Dr. Hugh Jessop at the IU Health Center.\nThis is partly because Bloomington is set in a valley, and everything settles, he said. \nPeople who have lived in Indiana for most of their lives have essentially become immune to the allergens in Bloomington. Students who are not native to Indiana, about 40 percent of the University's population, often have difficulties adjusting to the outdoor environment.\nIt all depends on what your body is used to, and what it can handle. This is true for any new environment, even housing. Those who are certain it is not their outdoor environment affecting their sinuses should look indoors, Jessop suggested. \n"Check the insulation, or even check the backing or the weave of the carpeting," he said. "(Many) are sensitive to pre-fabricated homes."\nThose new to Bloomington are learning that allergies are a way of life. For example, students in Briscoe Quad do not have the luxury of central air and must prove they have allergies before an air conditioner can be installed. \n"Living in Briscoe, there was always dust and my eyes were always irritated and yellow," sophomore Margaret Szczerba said. "When I would go home, my eyes would be fine. Now I know that it was the dusty environment in the dorms."\nThough allergies are a reality in Bloomington, relief from itchy eyes and runny noses can be found. The IU Health Center provides care and treatments for allergy-stricken students. \n"I remember going to the Health Center and telling them my symptoms," sophomore Lida Coalter said. "They were efficient, and prescribed medications that made me feel a lot better." \nBut for others allergies lurk everywhere, not just in Bloomington. Many out-of-state students come to IU with their allergist-concocted serums. Students can bring the serum with the instructions from the student's allergist to the screening nurse at the Health Center, Jessop said. Then, based on a student's need, he or she can make an appointment to receive an injection of the serum for a charge of between $5 and $10. Without any additional cost, the serum can be stored and protected at the Health Center. If a student takes prescription allergy medication, such as Allegra or nasal inhalers like Flonase, the Health Center pharmacy can refill the prescriptions.\nJessop said students who opt not to visit the Health Center should remember to exercise precaution in buying over-the-counter medicines. He warns that the dosage -- especially nasal inhalers -- are not meant to be used on an anytime basis, but as instructed. This is because nasal inhalers contain steroids that potentially can be dangerous, he said.\nFor some students though, like sophomore Lauren Pepper, prescriptions are not enough. \n"Allergies suck," she said. "They make my face hurt -- there really should be Kleenex in all the classrooms."\n-- Contact staff writer Sabina Bhasin at sbhasin@indiana.edu.