Nagging Fall Allergies

When most people think of allergies, they imagine people who suffer from trees and flowers blooming during the springtime, but the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department says just as many people have fall allergies. Most of those deal with dust and ragweed.

"It’s pretty much everywhere…along the side of the roads, fields, and any place weeds are growing. Ragweed is a very typical weed that grows in this area in Ohio, " says Dr. Vicki Whitacre.

Whitacre says you can develop allergies at any time of your life, and the fall allergies tend to last about a month.

"For the majority of people, it’s just the nagging annoyance to be blowing the nose or runny eyes. Now, there are a few people who have significant problems and can even have asthma as a result of it, difficulty breathing. It’s a significant problem for them, and they can barely go outdoors during that time, " says Dr. Whitacre.

To keep your fall allergies from becoming too overactive, you can stay indoors from early morning to early afternoon-when most of the pollen is circulating in the air. You can take an over-the-counter allergy pill, or you can go to an allergist to see if your allergies are severe enough that you need a shot.