For many noses, danger lurks in the air. No, it’s not chemical weapons deployed by terrorists but everyday allergens like dust, pollen, ragweed and pet dander. Now a New Jersey engineer has invented a new product to “block out” such airborne pollutants – without the negative side effects of traditional allergy medications.
Recently approved by the FDA and introduced to the market in August by Chloraseptic™, Allergen Block provides a unique way for allergy sufferers to protect themselves. Rather than attempt to stifle the symptoms of allergies on the body likes most medications, Allergen Block actually attempts to keep substances like dust mites and pollen away from the nasal cavity altogether (or “playing offense” as the product advertising states). This over-the-counter medication comes in gel form; an individual applies a little bit of the gel onto a fingertip, spreads the gel between the finger and thumb and rubs it on the outer-nostril and upper-lip areas. The gel creates an invisible shield around the nostrils, preventing allergens from getting into the nasal cavities and triggering reactions like sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, coughing and itching. Each tube of Allergen Block is said to contain approximately 150 applications, and the water-based gel can be safely reapplied as often as needed. The inventor of Allergen Block is also quick to note that, unlike other allergy medications, this new product is drug-free, keeping individuals from experiencing side effects like drowsiness or dry mouth.
It was actually the inventor’s daughter who inspired the conception of the innovative anti-allergen. Ashok Wahi, a licensed engineer and longtime New Jersey resident (by way of New Delhi, India), watched for years as his daughter Aikta struggled to cope with her cat allergy. Unfortunately, standard medications were either ineffective or caused the young girl to become drowsy – a major problem when she began dosing off at school. “I wasn’t sure what was making my daughter more miserable - her allergies to cats or the medicines she was taking,” Wahi said. Eventually, the problem became bad enough that Wahi decided to seek out a new solution. Through his research, Wahi realized a different approach to combating the allergy conundrum was needed. So, using his engineering mind, he devised a gel with a positive electro-static charge - the polar opposite of the negative charge characteristic of most allergens. “Opposite charges attract one another, and so when the pollen comes into contact with the gel, it's trapped by this gel and prevented from going into the nose and causing the typical allergy symptoms," Wahi explained.
With Allergen Block now on store shelves, Wahi and Chloraseptic are hoping the innovative treatment finds an audience. Certainly, their potential customer base is broad and far-reaching - with millions of people suffering from allergies nationwide. Allergies are the fifth leading chronic disease in the U.S. and they can trigger a variety of different problems. Along with general discomfort, allergies have been linked to chronic respiratory illnesses like sinusitis and asthma. For the scores of people seeking allergy relief, most medicines employ antihistamines, which are compounds that reduce or prevent allergy symptoms. While nearly all antihistamines are effective, they can have side effects ranging from restlessness and dizziness to nervousness and irritability. Worse yet, the drugs become less effective over time (usually about three months or more) as human immune systems develop a tolerance. By bypassing this standard approach to treating allergies, Allergen Block looks to give longtime sufferers a new weapon for fighting off the microscopic dangers that lurk in the air.
Allergen Block is currently available for purchase at retailers like Wal-Mart, Walgreen’s and drugstore.com.
