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Allergy season tin bring misery to tens of millions of Americans each year.
Tree, grass, and different pollens tin origin runny noses, itchy eyes, coughing and sneezing.
Where you unrecorded and what you’re allergic to tin make a large quality successful how bad your allergies are, but location are galore things you tin do to consciousness better.
Here are immoderate tips from experts to support allergies astatine bay — possibly moreover capable to let you to bask nan outdoors.
WHICH POLLENS CAUSE ALLERGIES?
There are 3 main types of pollen. Earlier successful nan spring, character pollen is nan main culprit. After that grasses pollinate, followed by weeds successful nan precocious summertime and early fall.
Some of nan astir communal character pollens that origin allergies see birch, cedar, cottonwood, maple, elm, oak and walnut, according to nan Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Grasses that origin symptoms see Bermuda, Johnson, rye and Kentucky bluegrass.
TRACK POLLEN LEVELS, THEN PLAN YOUR DAY
The champion and first measurement to controlling allergies is avoiding exposure. That’s easier said than done erstwhile it’s bully out.
Start pinch keeping your windows closed astatine location and successful nan car, avoiding going retired erstwhile pollen counts are highest and changing apparel erstwhile you get home. The aforesaid masks that sewage america done nan pandemic tin protect you from allergies — though they won’t thief pinch oculus symptoms.
Pollen trackers tin thief pinch planning. The American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology tracks levels done a web of counting stations crossed nan U.S. Counts are disposable at its website and via email.
HOW TO RELIEVE ALLERGY SYMPTOMS
You can’t conflict an force you don’t know.
Since galore Americans are allergic to respective things astatine once, nan first point to fig retired is what specifically you’re allergic to, said Dr. Nana Mireku, an allergist successful nan Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Over-the-counter nasal sprays tin thief relieve symptoms, but they return a while to footwear in, truthful it’s champion to commencement them successful early successful nan season, said Dr. Rachna Shah, an allergist and head of nan Loyola Medicine Allergy Count.
Antihistamines are different option. Shah said she’s seen immoderate patients use from switching to a akin marque if 1 stops working, but said that location isn’t overmuch broader information to backmost nan recommendation.
For young children and group who person to return galore different allergy medications, immunotherapies successful nan shape of shots and oral drops tin thief desensitize nan immune strategy to allergens, treating symptoms astatine their root.
WHERE ARE POLLEN LEVELS THE WORST?
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America issues an yearly ranking of nan astir challenging cities to unrecorded successful if you person allergies, based connected over-the-counter medicine use, pollen counts and nan number of disposable allergy specialists. This year, nan apical 5 were Wichita, Kansas; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Greenville, South Carolina; Dallas; and Oklahoma City.
IS ALLERGY SEASON CHANGING?
If you’ve been reasoning it started earlier and seems longer this year, you’re connected to something.
Shah usually starts looking astatine pollen counts successful nan Chicago area successful April. But this year, she peeked astatine her information successful mid-February, and character pollen was already astatine a “moderate” level.
“This play has been truthful nuts,” she said. “Granted, it was a beautiful mild winter, but I didn’t expect it to beryllium truthful early.”
Shah said she believes this play will beryllium longer than different years, assuming nan upwind remains warm.
Experts opportunity ambiance alteration has led to longer and much aggravated allergy seasons.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from nan Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for each content.
