Every year as spring rolls in so do allergies. It is estimated that 40 million Americans suffer from allergies. Symptoms include watery eyes, constant cough, scratchy and dry throat and a feeling of tiredness. Outdoor spring cleaning, mowing the grass and planting flowers can often cause allergy symptoms to intensify.
With March now here and the weather getting nicer, I typically see growing numbers of people come to Linwood Health Center with allergy symptoms. One of the best ways to reduce allergy symptoms is avoidance, but this can be especially difficult in the spring as the weather becomes nicer and spring is in the air. It can be difficult to stay indoors and not to want to get out and enjoy the outdoors. The good thing is while avoidance might not be entirely possible, limiting exposure and taking proactive measures to reduce allergy flare-ups can often be very helpful.
Some helpful tips that you can use to make the spring allergy season more bearable include:
• Stay indoors from 5 to 10 a.m., as this is the time when plants and flowers open for the morning sun and pollen counts tend to be highest.
• Plan your outdoor activities when pollen counts in your area are at their lowest. The best time for a person with allergies to be outdoors is after a heavy rain fall.
• Keep windows closed whenever possible, and leave shoes and clothing worn outside in the garage or closed off from the house to prevent allergens from entering.
• Shower or bathe before going to bed to limit the potential of spreading the allergens.
I first like patients to try avoidance measures, as these steps can often greatly reduce the symptoms of allergies. For people with severe allergies, there are several steps a person should follow to treat the symptoms. The first step is to try over-the-counter medications. If no improvement is seen within a few days, a visit to a primary care physician is warranted. In many cases, if the symptoms do not improve after seeing a primary care doctor, a person is then referred to an allergy clinic for skin testing to determine the allergens causing the reaction. In these severe cases it is important to determine what is causing the flare up. Medication prescribed by a physician, a nasal spray and/or an oral medicine, can typically ease symptoms. For severe cases, allergy shots may be necessary.
It is also important to realize that there are major health concerns allergies can pose, and it is best to get them treated to ease symptoms. Allergies can cause nasal passages to become swollen resulting in sinus infections. For people with asthma and other breathing problems, allergies can even lead to bronchitis. Sleep apnea, caused by a blockage anywhere from the tip of the nose to the back of the throat, is another complication of allergies or sinus problems and may lead to sleep deprivation and chronic fatigue.
For more information on the services Wishard provides or to find a primary care physician, please call Health Connection at 317-655-2255.
Nydia Estrada-Nunez, M.D.
Family Medicine
Linwood Health Center
Wishard Health Services