Hoping for easy season: Combating bad allergies
WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – Watery eyes, an itchy nose, a scratchy throat, the list goes on and on during this time of year.
Allergist, Dr. Phillip A. Hooker, said people are fighting the fatigue of allergy season, but there are simple things to help keep pollen out of your house.
“This time of year, everyone has seen the pollen because there is a lot of pollen around. The best thing to do is to not open the windows because if you do, the pollen will come through the windows and through the screen. Go outside if you want to enjoy the outside because if you open it up, you are letting all the pollen come in,” said Hooker.
Hooker said you can go outside and even cut the grass but stop by the medicine cabinet first.
“If you are doing things that stir up dust, it is better to protect your eyes with goggles and use a mask. I would also take an antihistamine if you had to go into a certain situation where you know you might have a little trouble. Something that is over the counter like a Zyrtec, a Claritin, or an Allegra, just one of those antihistamines,” said Hooker.
A clean house can also help keep your sinuses from getting out of control.
“Keep that air filter changed in the air conditioner because it will filter out a lot of stuff. Be careful around dust because dust can be an allergy to you, and it can be very irritating to you,” said Hooker.
Hooker knows sickness is common in the spring. However, there’s a way to figure out if you have a cold or allergies.
“The classic way to tell if it is allergies or a cold is with a cold, you will have a fever, and usually it will be gone in about a week. With allergies, you usually have no fever, and it will probably be around for about three or four weeks. Classically if you have itching in your mouth or throat, and water pouring down your eyes, that,” said Hooker.
Hooker said if your allergy symptoms last more than a month without any relief in sight, you should go see your physician or an allergy specialist.
