‘Highly allergenic tree pollen’ is already in the air.
As anyone with seasonal allergies knows, hay fever season is coming. Hay fever season kicks off in September and peaks during the months of October and November. Experts, however, are warning anyone who suffers from allergies that the time to start preparing is now.
According to Daily Mail, Dr. Connie Katelaris, the head of the immunology and allergy unit at Campbelltown Hospital, told The Today Show individuals with seasonal allergies should start stocking up on non-sedating antihistamines.
“If you know you have regular problems, you should be starting up one of the preventative sprays, the nasal sprays, so that you can block the reaction before it gets going,” the allergy expert explained.
While Katelaris did confirm grass pollen would not peak until the late October or early November, the spring season as a whole was dangerous for anyone with asthma or allergies.
The allergy expert, who is also a professor at Western Sydney University, also explained that dry weather and droughts can reduce the risk of hay fever during the spring season. She, however, insisted that it was important for both allergy and asthma suffers to take precautions.
“There’s tree pollen around and some people react to that. This is particularly important for those who have Asthma as well,” the doctor continued to explain.
Connie encouraged allergy suffers to use tracking apps to monitor pollen forecasts and to avoid going outside on high pollen days. If individuals with hay fever must go outside on high pollen days, they should keep their mouth and nose covered while outside. Ideally, allergy suffers should change their clothing and take a shower when returning home to remove any pollen from their person during hay fever season.
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, just shy of eight percent of the U.S. population over the age of 18 suffer from hay fever. Moreover, hay fever affects between 10 to 30 percent of the population on the entire planet.
As WXYZ reminded us earlier this month, roughly 23 million Americans suffer from allergies to ragweed pollen. Symptoms of these allergies can include:
- Sneezing
- Runny or congested nose
- Headaches
- Irritated and itchy eyes
There are just shy of 20 different species of ragweed plants in the United States. A ragweed is the plants in your yard that bloom a white fine pollen from August to November. This is the flower children often enjoy picking and blowing off the pollen.
For individuals with medical insurance, experts like Connie believe now is the time to head to the doctor’s office and renew antihistamine prescriptions to start building up an immune system against the grass, tree, and flower pollen in the air. Those without insurance, should go to the pharmacy and pick up over-the-counter antihistamines as well.
Ideally, now is also the time to consider changing out air filters and consider upgrading to hypoallergenic filters.
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