Pollen Allergy Tips
Spring has sprung in the Queen City, and it is beautiful here, I do not know about you, but my allergies are giving me a fit this week. As a native Charlottean I am aware we have pollen explode into the atmosphere every spring. Every year the whole city is covered in yellow dust from pollen. While I appreciate the roll pollen plays in nature; I do not appreciate the roll it plays in my allergy symptoms. I know a lot of you feel my pain and suffer from the same allergy symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes. It is uncomfortable for adults and children to deal with these allergy symptoms. I am no pediatrician and can not offer any medical advice, however I can give you tips on how to help you and your children cope with allergies. If you want a pediatrician’s take on this subject, Dr. Rhonda Patt from Charlotte Pediatrics just wrote a blog about children’s allergies at: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/living/health-family/moms/moms-columns-blogs/rhonda-patt/article16093700.html
Pollen Allergy Symptom Reduction Tips
- Avoid being outside at peak hours during the day. Pollen counts are the highest on warm and breezy days. The best times to be outdoors is very early in the morning (when dew is on the plants), evening, during and after rain, or on cloudy or windless days.
- Keep windows in the house and car shut to reduce pollen exposure.
- Wear Hats and sunglasses to protect the face and eyes from pollen exposure.
- Take a shower or bath after you have been outside to wash the pollen away.
- Take over the counter allergy medicine recommended by your doctor. The best allergy medicines last 24 hours, so only one dose a day.
- Use a daily nasal spray recommended by your doctor, if you experience allergy symptoms.
- Use a 24 hour allergy eye drop recommended by your doctor, if you experience itchy eyes.
For more information on pollen allergies you can visit aaaai.org.
