Sam's Club offers allergy screenings

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club will offer free allergy and health screenings at all of its stores that operate pharmacies, the club retailer said.

The screenings will take place late Saturday morning and into the afternoon, and include up to $200 worth of tests, including allergy screenings for milk, eggs, pet dander, mold, dust mites, wheat, ragweed, mountain cedar, Bermuda grass and Timothy grass, as well as tests for blood pressure, body mass index and vision.

"It can be difficult to tell the difference between allergies and a persistent head cold since symptoms, such as congestion and irritated eyes, are often similar," Sam's Club SVP health and wellness Jill Turner-Mitchael said. "Furthermore, as people age, they can grow out of allergies or develop new ones. Sam's Club can help our communities sort through such confusion with free allergy and health screenings and on-site pharmacists who can offer advice on how to treat identified allergies."

The retailer has provided more than 2.2 million free health-and-wellness screenings since 2010 and plans to continue offering them every second Saturday of each month through October. The company also is offering allergy tips in the March-April 2013 issue of the Healthy Living Made Simple Magazine that it sends out to members.