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CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Allergy sufferers got a little break with the rain, but as NEWS10 ABC’s Lydia Kulbida learned, it’s going to get bad again and soon. A local doctor shares the best practices to keep from sneezing your head off.
It started with a funny post on Lydia’s Facebook page: “The pollen in the #518 is out of control. That is all.” But that wasn’t all. More than 1,300 shares later, and Lydia knew she had lots of company.
“No, it is not your imagination,” said Dr. Nora Perkins from Albany ENT and Allergy. “It has been crazy this allergy season.”
Ear nose and throat doctor Nora Perkins says symptoms have been incredibly severe. “I have had numerous patients tell me today that they thought yesterday there was a fog and it was really just the pollen filling the air and clouding the air.”
From Suzi in Glens Falls to Susannah in Valatie to Stacey in Delmar, viewers shared photos of that pollen fog that’s coating everything.
“If you’ve been outside all day, shower when you come inside,” advised Dr. Perkins. “Get rid of the clothes you’re wearing. You can use saline rinses in the nose to rinse out pollen that your nose has been filtering.”
If you have to work outside, wearing a mask can help reduce the pollen getting into your nose. And if your over-the-counter medications aren’t relieving symptoms, it’s time to call your doctor.
“It really is helpful to see your physician because we can give you additional medications, additional management strategies, or even things like allergy shots can be really helpful,” Dr. Perkins outlined. Allergy shots can take months to build up, so you’d be preventing next season’s flareups. Being proactive is key says Dr. Perkins, whether using over-the-counter or prescription meds.
“So if your symptoms are good today, that’s great, but tomorrow the pollen is going to be high again, so taking your medications regularly, using your antihistamines every day, your nasal sprays every day during the bad season will really help reduce the symptoms and control them better.”
And that’s nothing to sneeze at.
Check the updated allergy forecast from NEWS10.
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