Some people seem destined to sneeze, itch, and struggle through life with multiple allergies while others may have only an occasional, seasonal allergy. Why?

It could be in your genes. We know that children can inherit a tendency to develop allergies. Clifford W. Bassett, MD, a New York-based allergist, says that if both parents have allergies, their child most likely will develop allergies, too.

"People with allergic background may have food allergies, respiratory allergies and sinus problems," says Dr. Bassett, a clinical instructor in the division of infectious diseases and immunology at the New York University School of Medicine. "Some people may have all of the above.”

Diagnosing Multiple Allergies Is a Challenge

"We evaluate all parts of the problems," Bassett says. "We do a food elimination test if we need to. If it's skin allergy, we look at that [by] doing allergy patch tests.”

He also conducts a challenge test, which means exposing you, by food or inhalation, to the suspected allergen at the doctor's office.

Drugs for Multiple Allergies

What Bassett says he tries to do for people with multiple allergies is give them the right drug at the right time and at the lowest dosage possible.

Once your doctor has pinpointed the substances causing your multiple allergies, treatments can include:

  • Antihistamines, which are available in both short-acting and longer-acting versions.
  • Nasal sprays, including corticosteroids such as fluticasone propionate (Flonase) and mometasone furoate (Nasonex), antihistamines such as azelastine nasal (Astelin) or cromolyn nasal (NasalCrom).
  • Decongestants, which can help relieve your stuffy nose. Nasal spray decongestants can become addictive, though, so a pill form might be a better option, Bassett says.
  • Leukotriene inhibitors, such as monteleukast (Singulair), which actually block the substances that trigger allergies. Bassett says this drug can damp down certain symptoms, but it’s mainly indicated for seasonal allergies and sinus problems.
  • Immunotherapy, which might be the answer if nothing else works.

    Most people who get allergy shots for two to four years can discontinue them after a period of maintenance is achieved. If you do the regimen properly, you get long-term benefit, Bassett says. “It's the closest thing to a cure that we have.”

Treatment for Multiple Allergies: Take a Holiday

After you've been on a medication for a period of time and seem to be symptom-free, Bassett prescribes a drug holiday.

"We'll cut back to see if there's a recurrence of symptoms," he says. "It makes sense to reduce the medications once in a while because a person with multiple allergies is a moving target.”

If symptoms don't return after the drug holiday, you may become free of multiple allergies.

Multiple Allergies: Other Strategies for Coping

  • Modify your routine. Stay away from your allergy triggers, as best you can. If you know what triggers your allergy symptoms, then do what you need to do to avoid those allergens.
  • Clean up the air! Consider purchasing an air purifier to rid indoor air of potential allergens. Also, if you suffer from seasonal allergies, keep the windows closed and the air conditioning running to minimize the amount of allergen that enters your home.
  • Use the Internet. If you have food allergies, the Internet can be a great source of information. You can find recipes that cater to your particular food allergy as well as lists of great food substitutes and instructions for making substitutions in recipes.

But regardless of why they vary, allergies are no fun. If you have multiple allergies, make sure you keep regular appointments with your allergist.