What to know before spring allergies hit full swing
ZANESVILLE, OH- As spring approaches, blooming flowers and warmer weather also mean the return of seasonal allergies. Doctors say if you deal with them every year, now is the time to start preparing before symptoms peak.
Seasonal allergies are often triggered by pollen released from trees, grass, and weeds. When those tiny particles enter the body, the immune system can mistake them as a threat and react. That reaction can lead to symptoms like congestion, itchy or watery eyes, frequent nose rubbing and even a sore throat caused by drainage overnight.
“I always say, we’re in Ohio, we’re in a valley, and allergies are always bad here, for people who have issues with Spring allergies it’s gonna be probably more of the same, if they had bad allergies last year, it will be bad again this year, but fortunately there are a lot of things that they can do kind of preemptively to get ready for that,” said Genesis Primary Care Family Practice Physician, Deanna Osborn, DO.
Osborn says taking early steps can help reduce the severity of symptoms before pollen levels climb.
“Some of the things that people can do, number one there are a lot of over the counter allergy medications that you can take, if you’re not sure about that or on other medications always go and check with your family practice physician or your primary care physician about what they recommend for you, but there are a variety of things there that work, but some other just easy tips that people can think about that can make a huge difference, number one is when you see all that pollen settling on your car and on your outdoor furniture and so forth, well when you’re outside walking or doing any outside activities, that pollen is also settling on you, so when you go back in after being outside with activities it’s a great idea to shower, wash your hair,” said Osborn, DO.
Osborn also recommends washing pets regularly, since they can track pollen indoors on their fur. If symptoms persist or worsen, Osborn says talking with a primary care physician can help determine the best treatment plan for allergy season.
