New Year, New Allergies? What Allergy Patients Should Reassess in 2026

New Year, New Allergies? What Allergy Patients Should Reassess in 2026

Years ago, an allergy diagnosis meant a lifetime of treatment or avoidance. If you were diagnosed with a peanut allergy, you had it for life. Times have changed.
Several factors are leading to changes in the allergies people experience. New allergies may appear, and old ones may disappear. It’s essential to reassess your allergies every year and ensure the medications and treatment options you’re using still effectively control any new or worsening symptoms.

Immune Responses Change With Age and Exposure

Allergies do not stay the same as you age. You could easily find yourself allergic to something for the first time in your adult years.
Older adults find their immune and digestive systems changing over time. Plus, the environment is changing. Trees are blooming earlier, and the pollen season is lasting longer. This impacts your seasonal allergies. Some food allergies appear later in life. Maybe you’re discovering that asthma is something you’re experiencing for the first time in your life.
Adult-onset allergies are more common than you’d think. In an Annals of Allergy Asthma and Immunology survey, over 40,000 adults reported adult-onset shellfish allergies. It’s also more common in women.
Research is ongoing, but a Canadian study found that women who were in their 50s at natural menopause had higher rates of asthma than women who entered natural menopause in their 40s. Hormonal changes may impact inflammation and make women more susceptible to allergies.

Children May Outgrow Triggers

The Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) trials in 2015 found that early introduction of the allergen could reduce the risk of allergies by about 27%, especially among children at high risk. Introducing peanuts to infants as young as four months reduced peanut allergy rates by 43%. Additionally, 10% of children with allergies outgrew them.

The Impact of Climate Change

Allergies in 2026 are changing, and much of this is down to the environment. Have you ever looked at the Historic Pollen Map? It zooms through several months, showing how pollen activity varies significantly from one day to the next.

Some of the biggest concerns have been:

• Average pollen seasons are lasting almost a month longer.

• Increased flooding, humidity, and heavy rains lead to mold growth.

• Plants are producing 20% more pollen, and that pollen is more potent.

• Warmer temperatures are shifting planting zones, introducing new plants to areas where they couldn’t grow before.

• Worsening air pollution from wildfires fueled by the effects of droughts.

Medical Advancements in Allergy Treatments

Are you scared to rely on allergy medications after reading news that regular use of antihistamines may be linked to dementia? Avoiding all treatments isn’t a solution. Untreated allergies can cause some health issues, such as:

• Asthma

• Chronic inflammation

• Depression

• Ear infections

• Insomnia

• Sinus infections

The medical world is continually seeking safer, more effective allergy treatments. If you’ve been avoiding medications or relying on prescription antihistamines and not getting 24-hour relief, it’s time to see an allergist. You want to see an allergy specialist who understands the importance of newer allergy treatments.

New treatment options include:

• FDA-approved omalizumab for treating food allergies

• Needle-free epinephrine using under-the-tongue treatments

• At-home sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) administered through under-the-tongue drops or dissolvable tablets

• Allergy shots, requiring a total of three injections given a month apart, instead of weekly allergy shots (SCIT) for years

• Epicutaneous immunotherapy (EPIT) patches administer small doses of foods through the skin, helping build a tolerance to certain foods, such as egg, milk, or peanut

Questions to Ask an Allergist

Thoughtful preparation ensures you get the most value from your first appointment with an allergist. With so many treatment options, including needle-free immunotherapy, advocate for what you’re comfortable with and have time for the things you need to do.
During your first appointment, bring this list of questions to ask.

Testing, Diagnosis, and Treatment

• I’m tired much more often and find it hard to concentrate. Could my allergies be causing this?

• Are skin prick or blood IgE tests advised? Why is one better than the other?

• For food allergies, such as a peanut or wheat allergy, do you recommend Component Resolved Diagnosis (CRD)?

• Do you refer to 2026 pollen maps when testing me for seasonal allergens?

• Are allergy seasons getting long? How do I account for that when taking my medications?

• If food allergies are diagnosed, is omalizumab a treatment you’d recommend for me?

• Would immunotherapy help manage my seasonal allergies?

• If I’m diagnosed with asthma, when should I use rescue medications?

• What is the specific ‘Action Plan’ for my school or workplace that you recommend?

• How often should I return for updated allergy tests?

Home and Lifestyle

• Should I invest in an air purifier, or is my HVAC system good enough?

• What filtration standards should I look for in my air purifier or HVAC system?

• Would you recommend investing in an HVAC UV light system?

• If I switch jobs, schools, or move to another home, how do I prepare for the environmental changes?

Start the New Year by Taking Control of Your Allergies

You shouldn’t have to prepare to deal with allergies when they hit. A yearly allergy audit reassesses your symptoms and the effectiveness of your current treatments. Ask yourself:

• Did I move to a new location, start a new job, or have a new HVAC system installed?

• Do I feel that my symptoms are worsening?

• Has the amount of allergy medication increased over the past year? Does it work as well as it used to?

• Have my inhalers or current prescription allergy medications expired?

If anything seems off, book an appointment with Dr. Sabry at Premium Allergy & Respiratory Center. Our staff can answer questions about whether your insurance will cover the visit and which coverage applies. We’ll go over general guidelines for things to bring to your appointment, such as:

• Information on the current allergy medications and over-the-counter supplements taken

• A journal of the allergy symptoms you experienced.

• Note what you were doing when you noticed your allergies worsening

• Take a photo of the ingredient list if you reacted to a new detergent, skincare product, or food item

If you’re undergoing skin tests to determine what allergies you’re having, it’s advised that you don’t take your allergy meds, if possible, for a few days to prevent false negative results.
Call our office or schedule a consultation online. You don’t have to live with frustrating allergy symptoms anymore. Premium Allergy helps you find the best treatment plan and ease your allergies so that you can enjoy your favorite activities.