Ahhhhh Cheeeeew...Seasonal Allergies

Well, we made it to March! Wave good bye to FLU season and hello to allergy season. Any day now the blooms and green dust are coming. It’s time to start preparing NOW! Spring allergies seem to be the worst for most people, and begin in March for our area. Symptoms include: sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion and itchy, watery eyes. There are several things to help slow these nagging symptoms down besides moving to the moon.

Start preventive medicine like Zyrtec or Claritin or Allegra now. These are daily pills that even come generic and over the counter. We keep some of these medicines in our office dispensary. Flonase or Nasacort nose spray used daily also helps, for many even better than pills. You should start these meds NOW before all the allergens form.

To prevent exposure, try these habits recommended by The Mayo Clinic:

- Stay indoors on dry, windy days. The best time to go outside is after a good rain, which helps clear pollen from the air. - Delegate lawn mowing, weed pulling and other gardening chores that stir up allergens. - Remove clothes you've worn outside and shower to rinse pollen from your skin and hair. - Don't hang laundry outside — pollen can stick to sheets and towels. Wear a pollen mask if you do outside chores. - Close doors and windows at night or any other time when pollen counts are high. - Avoid outdoor activity in the early morning when pollen counts are highest. - Use high quality air filters in your home and change them regularly